


Digimon: Cryptic Codex

by doodlingNutjob



Category: Digimon - All Media Types
Genre: Art in end notes starting with chapter 5, Dub Terminology, Gen, Maumon also has a potty mouth, Near Death Experiences, Screenplay/Script Format, The Digimon themselves are main characters woah, heavily inspired by Digimon Tamers and borrows a lot of concepts, swearing teenagers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2018-08-12 23:14:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 43,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7952950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doodlingNutjob/pseuds/doodlingNutjob
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Prince, his adviser, and his reluctant bodyguard go to another world to find the missing key to saving the Digital World.<br/>Unfortunately things go sideways on the way there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Booting

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted as an idea dump for my Digimon OCs but now I'm actually writing it so if you saw this before and don't recognize it...that's why lol  
> I decided to do it in script format because that way I can probably get more written down faster, and boi I've been meaning to write this crap down for so long and putting it off  
> The T rating is for swearing and a bit of violence as this progresses, since the Tamers are teens...

???: The Digital World...a vast realm of different biomes all uniting at the central Codex Mountain, and our home.

[pan showing Digital World and its many sectors converging around the base of the mountain]

???: And I fear it may be in dire peril.

[fade to black, rewind sound, fade back into pixel images]

???: The Codex Mountain is home to the Codex Crypts within its caverns...the Crypts are the place where Champion-level Digimon who have absorbed enough data go to Digivolve to Ultimate, and Ultimate Digimon to Digivolve to Mega. They hold the Light of Digivolution inside, and only the worthy could access it.

[show the figure of a Digimon walking into a glowing cave and Digivolving, then quickly pan up to the highest peak of the mountain to several draconic silhouettes]

???: Before, the Mega-level Divine Dragons guarded the Crypts from the mountaintop palace, ensuring that only the worthy could Digivolve to their strongest forms. Though their job carried extreme risk, they were able to create new Dragons from splicing strings of their code together in special machinery. 

[shot of two Dragons curled around a Rookie Digimon]

???: For a while, they were able to maintain their numbers and carry out their duties successfully.

[suddenly the shot is obscured by shadows, and many pairs of red eyes blink open]

???: But the Divine Dragons could only hold off the mounting forces of the Dark Army for so long before they were overwhelmed. 

[panning shot of Dragons getting dragged down by shadowy figures, echoing roars]

???: One by one, the Dragons fell, their data absorbed by the enemy. Eventually only two Dragons remained, the mates Hurricanemon and Cascademon. They spliced their codes to create a new Dragon, and kept him sequestered in the palace while they carried out their duties.

[shot of a small pale blue Fresh Digimon watching Hurricanemon and Cascademon leaving]

???: At the same time, so I’m told, my own DigiEgg apparently materialized inside the Crypts! 

[shot of a sunrise-patterned DigiEgg spawning in a Crypt, then hatching into a tiny lavender bird-like Fresh Digimon]

Bird: I essentially grew up side-by-side with the Prince, though he was usually in the palace and I in the Crypts.

[shot of the Fresh duo side by side, before they both Digivolve to In-Training forms]

Bird: But after our first Digivolution...disaster struck.

[shot of King Hurricanemon dropping from the sky with an anguished look before fading to black]

Bird: Queen Cascademon became the only living full-grown Divine Dragon left in the Digital World.

[shot of Prince and Bird leaning on each other, in mourning]

Bird: It was around this time I started hearing...the voices.

[shot of Bird sitting in the middle of a Crypt, looking wide-eyed and spellbound]

Bird: In the crypts, I could hear divine guidance. The voices of forces unknown whispering to me about the future. Being young I started babbling to the Queen, and bless her heart, she took me entirely seriously.

[pause, fade to black]

Bird: Even when I predicted her death in a coming battle.

[fade back into the image of a pale blue cat forcing back tears, face contorted into an agonized snarl, a Rookie Digimon]

Bird: Prince Maumon has never been the same.

Bird: I Digivolved wearing a Holy Ring as a blessing for relaying the divine voices so accurately...but I’ve never hated being accurate so much.

[shot of Bird in her Rookie form, tears running down her face as she clutches at the Holy Ring around her neck and stares into the sky]

Bird: I became Cygnemon, Royal Prophet and Guardian of the Codex Crypts.

Cygnemon: It was my job to bathe in the Light of Digivolution and relay any and all prophecies I heard, usually to seasoned palace staff and soldiers, as the Prince was still young and temperamental. Most were mundane, but some of the strangest words of guidance I have ever received have carried the utmost gravity.

[fade into a flashback, where Cygnemon is standing in a marsh, yelping as her foot gets sucked into some muck]

Cygnemon: The first such words led me to fly out to the Torrent Plains to recruit a Digimon I was told was to guide the Prince. Level-headed and grounded, Poxmon was going to keep Maumon in check where I could not.

[in the flashback, Cygnemon gets flustered talking to a large brown furry Rookie in a plague mask who reveals that she is Poxmon]

Cygnemon: True, she was marked with a Digital Hazard on her chest, but I could tell immediately that she was the advisor the Prince so desperately needed. Besides...I think the Hazard might be why she was so level-headed in the first place…

[cut to Poxmon sitting next to the Prince and talking low into his ear while Cygnemon watches, then cut to a large flaming bird taking off into the sky while Cygnemon sits and waves]

Cygnemon: I would have gone to recruit the next Digimon I had visions about as well, but the Dark Army was too widespread by that point for me to safely venture out. I had to send out a messenger in my place, a Birdramon. She did her job well, bringing back the unlikely new bodyguard for the Prince.

[Birdramon lands in the palace foyer, a sobbing terrified tiny green caterpillar in her talons begging for her life]

Cygnemon: Chrysamon...would not be anyone’s first choice for a courageous bodyguard had they not experienced the visions I have. I knew that great potential was buried under all her fearful tears and small size, but of course the Prince could not see it…

[several cuts of Maumon lashing out at Chrysamon, culminating in him fighting her himself during her training and nearly loading her data]

[flashback Maumon]: What’s the point of a bodyguard if I’m  _ stronger  _ than the guard!? I could put her data to  _ far _ better use than she is right now!

Cygnemon: ...he was most displeased by his assigned guard, and Chrysamon was giving up what little hope she had.

[pause; fade to a shot of Cygnemon clasping her claws and looking out over the darkness outside her Crypts]

Cygnemon: And maybe so was I.

Cygnemon: Until I had my grandest vision yet. I could see hope lying trapped in another world, and if we could go retrieve it, we could save the Digital World from the tyranny of the Dark Army.

Cygnemon: Of course, my intent had been to recruit some willing soldiers from around the palace to risk the journey once I had informed the Prince of the good news, but...he took matters into his own paws.

Cygnemon: [clasps her claws, staring at the glowing golden DigiCode coating the Crypt walls with wide eyes] I wish them well.

Cygnemon: They must find the lost key to saving the Digital World in the other world.

  
  
  


[cut to a mad dash over some scorched earth, with Maumon sprinting frantically ahead in the lead as he dodges incoming enemy attacks]

Maumon: The portal’s not far now! Try to keep up!!

Poxmon: [running a short distance behind him, smacking away a Dracmon with her Rot Claw] You assume that the portal will remain open, Maumon! Remember that the portals open and close erratically because the Dark Army has been destabilizing the Digital World!

Maumon: Bla bla bla. Less lecturing and more  _ running _ , Poxmon!

[quietly and out of breath, Chrysamon skitters behind them both, tripping up enemies she passes with her Silk Shot. The other two remain completely oblivious to this]

Poxmon: I only lecture you because you are a stubborn whelp who refuses to listen the first time I say things!

Maumon: Can you can it for like five more minutes? Seriously? [runs smack into BlackGatomon and screams]

BlackGatomon: Here, kitty kitty. [purr]

Maumon: Torrent Shot!! [opens mouth and blasts high-pressure water in her face, making her screech and let go of him. He continues running, through he nearly trips over his own paws a few times]

Poxmon: Let me remind you that this mad dash was  _ your _ idea, Your Highness.  _ My _ recommendation would have been to send some trained soldiers to the other world, but no. You would have even gone completely alone on this mission had I not intervened.

Maumon:  _ Can it!  _ That’s a royal order!! Can it till we get to the portal and  _ then _ yell at me, I don’t care!!

[the portal looms ahead like a rip in space...except now the edges are beginning to quiver. Though her face is hidden by a mask, it is still possible to tell that Poxmon is giving Maumon a “I told you so” look]

Maumon: [accelerates, ears pressed flat to his head]  _ Can it. _

Poxmon: I said nothing, my Prince. I am a loyal subject. [swats away a Goblimon with Rot Claw]

Maumon: Cut the sarcasm too. [eyes narrow as the portal flickers even more, almost failing to notice a pair of Devidramon swooping down to block the portal. He skids to a stop just out of their reach, looking horrified]

Devidramon1: Aw, look. A coupla Rookies thought they was gonna make it to the other world.

Devidramon2: What a shame they were mistaken, eh?

Maumon:  _ You’re _ mistaken! Move aside before we load your ugly mugs!

Devidramon2: Aw, how cute.

Devidramon1: I’d like to see ya try, kid. Hell, we’ll even give ya a free shot! [points at smirking snout]

Maumon: Don’t say I didn’t warn you! Torrent Shot!! 

[the water jet barely even causes Devidramon1 to flinch, and his smirk grows]

Devidramon2: Too bad, so sad. Now it’s our turn. Red Eyes!! [stares at Maumon and Poxmon with four glowing red eyes, paralyzing them]

Devidramon1: Crimson Claw!! [reaches out with arms and rakes Maumon and Poxmon with large red claws. They go skidding in the dirt, bodies starting to flicker as some of their data fragments under the blow]

Chrysamon: [lets out a horrified gasp, eyes widening]

[Chrysamon, internally]: I can’t let them get loaded here! Then I really  _ will _ be a useless waste of space! But I can’t fight even  _ one _ Devidramon…!

[glances behind the Devidramon, at the increasingly destabilizing portal]

[Chrysamon, internally]: Maybe I don’t have to  _ fight _ them!

Chrysamon: [sneaks around the feet of the Devidramon as they are distracted by beating down Maumon and Poxmon. Neither of them notice her due to her small size. She gets herself into position behind and between them]

Chrysamon: Silk Shot!! [she opens her mouth and silken threads fly out, wrapping themselves around the gravely injured Poxmon and Maumon]

Maumon: What the-! [he is cut off by the silk suddenly going taut as Chrysamon grunts loudly and tosses her head back. He and Poxmon go flying toward the portal, with him screaming in surprise at the turn of events]

Chrysamon: [she looks stunned and even a little ecstatic as Maumon and Poxmon fly towards the portal...then she screams as their momentum yanks her into the portal violently by her own silk threads]

[inside the destabilizing portal, loud static crackle drowns out the screams of the three Digimon. Bolts of electricity sever the silk threads between them and blind them, making it impossible to see each other. Without their silk tethers they fall in different directions, voices going hoarse as they lose all contact with each other. Then, separately, they fall into a whole new world.]


	2. Installation, Part 1

[A Saturday morning in a well-furnished home. A forlorn looking teenage boy sits on the stairs, running a hand through his shaggy blond hair as he watches his parents ferry several suitcases out the door.]

???: Do you guys seriously have to go on another trip this weekend? You said we’d go pick out and buy my cat together!

Mother: I’m sorry, Mark. This was a last minute call. You know we have to travel a lot for work, sweetie.

Mark: [sigh] I know...just, I was hoping for some quality time this weekend.

Father: We’ll be back in a few days, sport. Tell you what: We’ll leave you enough money to go buy the cat. I know you’ve been really looking forward to getting one.

Mark: ...Thanks. I won’t go crazy with it.

Father: [ruffles Mark’s hair as he walks by with another suitcase] I know you won’t.

[Mark watches his parents gather up the last of their luggage before leaving a couple hundred dollars in cash lying on the counter. Then they walk out the door with a few last goodbyes before shutting it behind them. Mark sighs and gets off the stairs to go safely stash the cat money in his wallet.]

Mark: “Sure, sport, we’ll go pick out your cat this weekend! We can welcome the kitty into the family together!” [sighs forlornly and kicks a table leg before wincing from the kick]

Mark: I know the whole point of them agreeing to let me have a cat was making it less lonely for me while they were away...but that doesn’t mean they can up and leave when they agreed to buy the cat with me!

[he pauses his upset pacing for a moment before a devious look crosses his face]

Mark: Maybe I’ll get a nice fluffy cat that they didn’t want. That’ll teach them to back out on yet another promise to spend time with me! “It’ll shed a lot!” they said. Well, it’ll be soft and snuggly as hell, says I!

[he opens the door and walks out, beginning the trek towards the pet store]

 

[about ten minutes later, Mark is almost at the street the pet store is on when he hears a pained moan in the alley next to him. Morbidly curious, he backtracks and peers into the alley. He gasps when he sees an odd looking white cat with a very fluffy tail lying sprawled out on the cement, its pelt horribly scuffed with clawmarks.]

Mark: Oh, holy crap. [he runs to the injured cat’s side before gently nudging it to see if it’s conscious. It doesn’t move and merely lets out another groan]

Mark: Oh, poor kitty. You’re hurt _bad_ , aren’t you. Did you get in a fight with another stray?

[the cat is silent and still, aside from some slow breathing]

Mark: Don’t worry, kitty. I’ll bring you home and fix you right up and make sure you’re safe… [he scoops the cat gingerly into his arms, staring down at it in concern as the movement makes it grimace in pain. He begins the ten minute walk back home, careful to jostle his new cat as little as possible.]

 

[once he gets home, Mark opens the door with his shoulder and hurries inside, gently setting the cat down on the counter. He rushes to get a first aid kit, and sets about treating the cat’s wounds. Once he is finished, he put the kit away and moves the cat to the fluffy cat bed lying in his room, among a myriad of other recently-purchased cat supplies.]

Mark: ...There. Now you can rest up and-

[he is cut off by the cat beginning to stir in its bed. Its large yellow eyes open and stare owlishly at Mark for a moment]

Mark: ...Hi, kitty. Feeling better?

Maumon: Who the hell are you?!

Mark: [gasp] You _talk?!_

Maumon: Of course I talk! What kind of royalty doesn’t talk?

Mark: _Royalty?!_

Maumon: Do you not know who I am, strange and pathetic creature? I am Maumon, Prince of Codex Mountain and the last of the Divine Dragons! [puffs out his chest before wincing]

Mark: Wh-what? Dragon? You’re an injured stray cat!

Maumon: I am not a “cat!” I am a Divine Dragon, a Digimon!

Mark: Wh-what’s a Digimon?

Maumon: You ignorant fool. I-

[he pauses, looking like a train of thought just caught up to him.

Maumon: -I’m in the other world. Oh. [he actually looks humbled for a moment before his boastful air returns]

Maumon: I made it to the other world! YES!

Mark: Other world? So are Digimon, like, some kind of aliens then?

Maumon: I suppose. We Digimon hail from the Digital World, a world parallel to this one. To me, you’re the ugly alien.

Mark: Hey!! Don’t call me ugly! I saved your life!

Maumon: And it was a job well done, my loyal peon. [licks a bandaged paw for a moment]

Mark: Uh, I’m nobody’s _peon_. A few minutes ago you were a stray cat dying in a dirty alleyway, so don’t go acting high and mighty to the guy who rescued you!

Maumon: [lowers his paw, giving Mark a sideways glance] Do you command authority in this world, then?

Mark: Well, uh...no, no, not really. But you command even less here! People like me will think you’re a cat at first, but then once you talk you’ll get, like, dissected or something for science. I don’t know what the “Digital World” is like, but cats never talk in this world. People will freak out over you.

Maumon: [flattens ears] So what do you propose.

Mark: Well, I promise on my honor as Mark Dameron that I will not turn you in to the government. You can stay here with me and lie low...but you have to act like an Earth cat when my parents are home. You have a few days to practice before they get home again…

Maumon: [sigh] And how degrading will this be?

Mark: Uh...how degrading would you find it to not talk for a while and meow at people?

Maumon: _Ugh_ ...this _better_ be worth it.

Mark: I’ll make your stay here as comfy as I can, Maumon. Do you, uh, wanna tell me what you’re doing on Earth, anyway?

Maumon: Like I’d tell you. You’re on a need-to-know basis, and my mission isn’t relevant to an Earthling like you.

Mark: [groan] Thanks, Prince Snobby. I’ll go get lunch ready.

Maumon: You do that.

[he waits for Mark to go downstairs and work on “lunch,” then he grunts and launches himself onto Mark’s windowsill. Unfortunately Mark’s room is on the second storey...but fortunately, a tree grows right next to his window.]

Maumon: I have royal duties to attend to. [he nudges the window open with some pained grunts, then jumps into the tree and begins his descent to the ground…]

  


Mark: [he sets down a microwave pizza before calling upstairs] MAUMON! I dunno if you eat pizza, but… [he trails off as no haughty reply cuts him off]

Mark: Maumon? You okay, bud? [he begins walking upstairs as the silence continues. He walks into his room and looks at the open window in dismay. He immediately turns and runs downstairs so he can go into the yard and look for the disobedient “cat.” Once outside he notices with horror that some of the bushes are on fire and Maumon is sprawled out again, morning in pain. Some of his wound dressings have been scorched off]

Mark: MAUMON! What happened?!

Maumon: Ngh...this is...a Digimon affair…

Mark: Digimon affair? Can you elabora-

???: Lava Loogie!! [a fireball hits the grass next to Mark’s feet and makes him scream, stumbling backwards and falling on his rear]

Mark: WHAT THE HECK?

[A candle with a face hops out of the bushes, grinning malevolently. So is the flame with a face burning on its wick.]

Candlemon: Oooh, a two-for-one special! Me likey!

Mark: Are you a D-Digimon too?!

Candlemon: Ooooh, yes. A very powerful Digimon I am, yes! Now step aside and let me load the kitty there, yes!

Mark: Uh, I’m not sure I like the sound of “loading!”

Maumon: [hissing through clenched teeth] He wants my data, Mark. You can’t let him have it! Just get out of my way so I can...Ngh! [Maumon attempts to stand up and then immediately collapses from his injuries again with a pained cry]

Mark: You’re in no state to fight, Maumon! Stand down!

Maumon: Digimon are _built_ for fighting, Mark. Honestly, you look squishy as hell. Don’t involve yourself in a Digimon fight!

Mark: I can’t just sit here and watch you get yourself killed, Maumon. Swallow your pride and retreat, for Pete’s sake!

Maumon: Retreat is for cowards! [he struggles to his paws successfully this time, staring down the Candlemon defiantly]

Candlemon: Ooooh, how touching, yes. But there is no more time for delay. It is time to load your data, yes! Lava Loogie!!

[Maumon braces himself for impact...but it never comes. Mark dives toward him and moves him out of the way before the attack can connect. Unfortunately Mark takes the hit instead and lets out a pained scream]

Maumon: Mark, you idiot! I told you not to get involved!

Mark: [grimacing in pain from his burns] And _I_ told _you_ to retreat, you stupid cat!

Maumon: Are all Earthlings this stupid?

Mark: Are all Digimon this stubborn? [tears well in his eyes as a ball of pale blue light starts glowing in the air between them. Both human and Digimon stare at it in wonder as it condenses into the form of a handheld Maumon-shaped device and slowly descends into Mark’s hand.]

Mark: Woah…

Maumon: What is it??

[Mark grabs Maumon and rolls to the side to dodge another Lava Loogie before pressing some of the device’s buttons. He pulls up a few different screens that display things like Maumon’s current health, amount of data loaded, his current emotion (which is currently angry) and finally “Modify.” Mark raises his eyebrows.]

Mark: This...Digimon device thing seems to be able to let me upgrade your abilities temporarily!

Maumon: What are you waiting for, then? Use the Digivice and gimme a boost already!

Mark: [mumble] Digivice is a good name…

Maumon: What? Just do it already!

Mark: Yeah, yeah, on it! [he scrolls through before selecting his first item and hitting the center button]

Mark: Digi-Modify! Speed activate!

[Maumon leaps away from Mark with renewed vigor, then charges at Candlemon with prejudice and unnatural speed]

Maumon: Torrent Shot!!

[the high pressure water is aimed straight at Candlemon’s flame, extinguishing it]

Candlemon: NOOOO! NOT LIKE THIS!

[Candlemon’s body flickers for a moment as his data fragments, and then he disintegrates into glowing pixels. Maumon flicks his tail and puffs out his chest, drawing the pixels into his body. Mark makes a face as the Digivice’s readout informs him that Maumon is loading data.]

Mark: Eugh...so that’s what loading a Digimon’s data means…

Maumon: [finishes loading Candlemon] What were you expecting, Earthling?

Mark: I dunno...something that maybe wasn’t fighting to the death?

Maumon: That’s how we settle things in the Digital World most of the time. You’re gonna have to get used to that if more of the Dark Army follows me through.

Mark: ...Dark Army? Is that why you’re on Earth?

Maumon: Long story short: yes.

Mark: [raises eyebrow] I thought I was on a need-to-know basis with your Digiworld stuff.

Maumon: You still are. But now you need to know. That Digivice that appeared before you is clearly connected to me. Little as I like the idea...I think I’ll be a _lot_ stronger if I stay with you. That Digi-Modify thing was extremely helpful.

Mark: [struggles to his feet after scooping a reluctant Maumon into his arms] ...You wanna put out these fires and then tell me what else I need to know?

Maumon: ...Torrent Shot!! [shoots high pressure water at the fires in the bushes, putting them out] So, I came here on a mission from the Digital World to find something on Earth that will supposedly subdue the Dark Army because...


	3. Installation, Part 2

[A Saturday morning in a modest suburban household. A redheaded teenage girl reclines in her bed, glancing around at her walls vacantly. They are decorated with posters of boy bands, TV shows, and a long shelf of trophies from the track and field program in the school district. She is lost in thought staring at her most recent trophy until her mother’s voice calls from down the hall.]

Mother: Poppy! Lunch is ready!

Poppy: [sigh] Coming, Mom! [she swings herself out of bed and jogs down the hall to the kitchen, neglecting to close her bedroom window that she left open]

  
  


[in a tangle of bushes in Poppy’s backyard, a large green caterpillar stirs. It takes her a moment to remember how she got there, and then she lets out a small scream]

Chrysamon: Oh, Crypts! I’m in the other world and I’m  _ alone _ oh no oh no oh no-

[she takes a deep breath, attempting to calm herself down]

Chrysamon: Okay, uh...m-maybe I can find somewhere n-nice to hide until I can g-get my bearings, yeah? [she looks around before spotting the open window in the nearby house, and her drooping antennae stand up in a heart shape]

Chrysamon: Th-there! That looks like a nice place to lay low for a wh-while! 

[she lines herself up with the windowsill, then uses Silk Shot to pull herself up and inside. She lands on a carpeted floor, a little dazed, and takes in the sights. Whoever lives in this den certainly likes to decorate. The pictures on the wall look similar to some Ultimate and Mega level Digimon but...softer and weaker somehow. She’s lost in musing over this as one such creature steps into the room and lets out a horrified scream.]

Poppy: AUGH! Huge fucking bug holy shit holy shit-

Chrysamon: EEP! [she ducks under the bed as fast as she can possibly manage while the creature in the doorway screams some more]

Mother: [from the kitchen] Poppy, sweetie, is everything okay in there?

Poppy: [taking deep breaths] J-just a bug, Mom. I think it ran off somewhere, I can’t see it anymore!

Mother: Just give me a holler if it turns up again! I have bug spray in the cabinet!

Poppy: Will do, Mom! [she falls silent as she reaches behind her and slowly closes the door]

Poppy: Come out, bug. I’m not getting the bug spray…Yet.

Chrysamon: [muffled under the bed] P-please d-don’t load me…

Poppy: The hell does that mean? Look, I just wanna talk. I’ve never seen a bug like you before, and uh…[makes a face] I’ve never ever had a bug  _ talk _ to me before.

Chrysamon: ...You p-promise you won’t load me?

Poppy: Yeah, I don’t even know what that even  _ means. _ Come out, please. I won’t hurt you.

Chrysamon: Okay…[she skitters out from under the bed, looking mildly terrified]

Poppy: [her gaze softens...bug or not, the poor thing is clearly scared out of her wits] My name’s Poppy Jones. What’s yours, little bug?

Chrysamon: My n-name is Chrysamon. I’m n-not a bug from here, I don’t think. I-i’m a Digimon.

Poppy: Yeah, I don’t remember having anything called a Digimon here. You’re a long way from home, aren’t you, Chrysamon?

Chrysamon: [nods] I c-came here to help p-protect someone on a mission to this world, b-but we got separated on the way here and n-now I’m alone…

Poppy: Poor thing. You wanna rest up here for a while? Maybe I can help you find your friend too. 

Chrysamon: O-oh, I don’t want to impose…!

Poppy: [dismisses her with a handwave] You’re not imposing if I’m making the offer, little bug. I don’t think I can just you back out with a clear conscious. You seem...uh…

Chrysamon: [sniffle] Weak? Pathetic? Worthless? It’s okay, you can s-say it. I know it’s the t-truth…

Poppy: Woah, where did all that bullshit come from? I was gonna say “nervous about being here!”

Chrysamon: O-oh…

Poppy: Who the hell has you so convinced you’re worthless? That’s horrible!

Chrysamon: Uhm...m-most other D-Digimon I’ve met. I’m useless in a f-fight…

Poppy: Well, Chrysamon, I think you’re a very nice Digimon and those other jerk Digimon can take it up with me if they think you’re “worthless.” Ugh. [she pulls out a pink backpack and empties a few books out of it]

Chrysamon: [she’s dumbstruck by Poppy’s comments about her for a moment, then finds her voice again] U-uhm, what are you doing?

Poppy: Getting your ride ready. We’re going out on the town to look for your friend! Any objections, little bug?

Chrysamon: Oh, uh, are you s-sure you want to do this for me? It’s very k-kind but you don’t h-have to do it if you don’t want to…

Poppy: Yes, I’m sure! Not like I have friends who wanna hang out on Saturdays anyway...this beats being bored all day!

Chrysamon: ...You’re lonely? But you seem so confident and...d-decorated. [glances at the trophy shelf]

Poppy: [sad laugh] That’s kinda  _ why _ I’m lonely, Chrysamon. Everybody thinks I’m out of their league or something so they admire me from afar, but never freakin’ talk to me.

Chrysamon: ...That’s so s-sad. 

Poppy: Ain’t it? Whatever, I’ll live. Besides...[turns and gives Chrysamon a brilliant smile]  _ You’re _ talking to me.

Chrysamon: Hehe...I suppose I am.

Poppy: [lowers backpack to the ground and holds it open] Your chariot awaits, Chrysamon.

Chrysamon: [gives Poppy a grateful look as she crawls inside] Thank you, Poppy.

Poppy: So before I close my backpack to keep you hidden...wanna tell me about the friend you’re looking for?

Chrysamon: Well, uhm...I’m not sure if my descriptions will make sense to a, uh…

Poppy: Human?

Chrysamon: ...to a h-human. I’ll try, though. To describe my f-friend. Friends, actually.

Poppy: Go ahead.

Chrysamon: Well, uh… P-Poxmon is big and brown and furry with a white b-beaky mask and a, uh, D-Digital Hazard symbol on her ch-chest...and the Prince is really p-pale blue, almost wh-white, with big yellow eyes and pointy ears and a f-fluffy tail and p-pointy ears and on his forehead is a blue drop-

Poppy: Woah, wait.  _ Prince?! _

Chrysamon: [nod] P-Prince Maumon. I was assigned as his b-bodyguard. 

Poppy: But I thought you said you weren’t a good fighter...

[Chrysamon gives her a very weary smile, her antennae drooping]

Poppy: ... _ Yikes. _

Chrysamon: The Seer s-said it was so, s-so I’ve been in t-training…

Poppy: Geez. I’m sorry, Chrysamon. That has to  _ suck. _

Chrysamon: [swallows hard] I-it’s my life s-so I’m trying my b-best. So now I have to f-find the Prince and get back to my j-job.

Poppy: [nods] Okay. I’ll help you out the best I can. It sounds like you really need it.

Chrysamon: B-because I can’t do it on my own, i’m we-

Poppy:  _ No _ , because  _ nobody _ deserves to do something like this completely alone. You’re a brave little bug for trying to do this alone, but let me help you. It’ll go smoother that way, okay?

Chrysamon: ...B-brave??

Poppy: Hells of brave. Now I’m gonna zip up this backpack and we’re gonna go on an adventure, all right?

Chrysamon: [nods] All right.

[Poppy zips up the backpack most of the way, leaving an air hole for Chrysamon, then carefully swings it onto her back and walks out the door, telling Ms. Jones that she’s going for a walk.]

  
  
  


[An hour has passed, and Poppy is now plodding down the sidewalk on a relatively empty street downtown. It’s a bit run down. Chrysamon pokes her head cautiously out of the backpack.]

Chrysamon: Still no sign of them?

Poppy: I’ll let you know, little bug. Just try and relax in the meantime, okay?

Chrysamon: O-okay. [she falls silent, taking in the sights as Poppy walks]

Chrysamon: So this is “downtown?”

Poppy: Uh huh, though this is a seedier part. It occurred to me that if they’re anything like you, they’re probably trying to hide from humans. This is a good place to do that.

Chrysamon: It’s a nice thought, b-but...Poxmon and the P-Prince would never be cowardly and hide like m-me.  _ Especially _ not the Prince.

Poppy: ...You said they were injured, right?

Chrysamon: ...Y-yes,  _ badly. _

Poppy: Then they’re probably laying low for now, at least. It’s hard to fight when you’re battered and bruised.

Chrysamon: ...I suppose.

Poppy: So, back to my point. This is a good place as any to lay low and avoid detection.

???: You’re terrible at avoiding detection, are you kidding me? [cruel giggling echoes out of a side street until the source flies out into the open. It resembles a guinea pig with purple fur and wings instead of ears]

Tsukaimon: So, where’s the Digimon? I smeeeeell yoooouuuu!

Poppy: Uh...none of your business! 

[Poppy takes off sprinting, shoving Chrysamon’s head back down into the backpack. She runs very quickly, being a track star, but she also tires quickly, and looks back, to her horror, to see Tsukaimon flapping after her a small distance behind.]

Tsukaimon: You can ruuuun, but you can’t hiiiiiide~ Give up the Digimon and I’ll leeeaaave~

Poppy: [breathing heavily] F-fuck off, c-creep! You can’t have her!

Chrysamon: [as Poppy speaks, you lift your head out of the backpack, then open your mouth, antennae shooting straight up] SILK SHOT!!

[the threads ensnare Tsukaimon, and Chrysamon snaps her head to slam Tsukaimon into the nearest wall. He crumples at the bottom, stunned for a moment, as Chrysamon hops out of the backpack, tail lashing]

Poppy: Chrysamon! What are you doing!?

Chrysamon: Protecting you!! Run! You don’t belong in a Digimon fight!

Tsukaimon: Neither do you, worm! Hehehehehe! Purple Haze!!

[he blows out a deep purple fog that envelops the battlefield. Chrysamon and Poppy start coughing, though Chrysamon seems to be getting the worst of it]

Poppy: Chrysa-[cough] Chrysamon! We can still retreat!

Chrysamon: [shaking her head, still coughing violently] N-no...you c-can...it’s  _ me _ he wants. Save your energy and j-just get yourself out of here!

Poppy: I’m not leaving you here to fight this thing alone!

Tsukaimon: Hey! I’m not a “thing!” I’m Tsukaimon, the great and powerful! [he puffs out his chest as if boasting...but then it becomes clear he’s charging  _ something. _ ] Friendly Fire!!

[Tsukaimon releases a burst of fire from his mouth that knocks him back. The fire ignites some of the dissipating Purple Haze and causes a small explosion. Chrysamon flies back into Poppy’s arms with a scream, and Poppy holds on to her even as she slams back first into the opposite wall. Poppy slumps down with a groan, dazed from her newly injured back.]

Chrysamon: Poppy! POPPY! NO! [tears well up in her eyes as she screams]  _ NO! _

Tsukaimon: Awww...too bad, so sad. Friendly-

Chrysamon: [tears streaming down her face] SILK SHOT!! 

[the silk ensnares Tsukaimon again, and he lets out a frustrated cry] 

Tsukaimon:  _ Eeeuuwwww- _

Chrysamon: GO AWAY! [she tosses her head back and forth, swinging Tsukaimon into the opposing walls repeatedly before she finally slumps against the ground, worn out.]

Tsukaimon: Uuughhhhh...Purple Haze!!

[Once again, the poison gas flooded the battlefield. Chrysamon tried to hold her breath but it was no use. The poison ate through the silk again.]

Tsukaimon: Get ready to say goodbye to your data, worm! [he starts puffing out his chest again, preparing a final round of Friendly Fire]

Poppy: [weakly] Ch-chrysamon... _ no… _

[Poppy reaches toward Chrysamon, and as she does so, a pink ball of light shines in front of her hand. She watches with rapt attention as it condenses into a small device resembling Chrysamon and then floats gently into her outstretched hand. She begins to frantically investigate it.]

Tsukaimon: Friendly Fire!!

Poppy: [hits button on Digivice] Digi-Modify! Stamina activate!

[the Purple Haze detonates in another small explosion from the Friendly Fire...but Chrysamon is still standing, looking tired but still alive]

Poppy: [laughing giddily and hitting buttons frantically] Digi-Modify! Power activate!

Chrysamon: Silk Shot!!

[Tsukaimon is ensnared yet again, and he gets slammed violently into the ground. He lets out a strangled cry before breaking up into data fragments. Chrysamon scurries forward and lifts her antennae, loading Tsukaimon’s data.]

Poppy: [laughing wildly for a few moments] You did it, Chrysamon! You won a fight!

Chrysamon: B-barely-

Poppy: No. Shut it. You won.

Chrysamon: O-okay…

Poppy: [gets on her knees and crawls over to Chrysamon, scooping her into a big hug] I’m p-proud of you, brave warrior. Now let’s get home...I think we can t-try again tomorrow.

Chrysamon: [blushing] Y-yeah.


	4. Installation, Part 3

[A Saturday evening. A lone girl hustles down the street of a run-down neighborhood, hands in her pockets and her head down. Her dark hair falls over one eye as she nervously scans the streets. The girl mutters to herself as she walks.]

???: Okay, I only need to make to this corner and turn without any of them catchin’ me and-

[she falls into a stunned silence as she turns the corner and what looks like a mutated emaciated dog in a plague mask turns to stare at her with its empty masked eyes. It appears to be limping and its fur is completely scuffed.]

???: EEP!  _ Dios mio _ , what are you?

Poxmon: I am a Digimon.

???: A Digi- _ what? _ You  _ talk?! _

Poxmon: Do not panic. I mean you no harm. Even if I did, I am in no state to inflict much harm on you. 

???: O-okay, freaky Digi-dog whoosit. I’m just trying to get home before the Stingers catch up with me-

Poxmon: Hm? I don’t recall seeing any FanBeemon swarming here. It’s a bit of a long way for a swarm to travel.

???: ...N-no, not literal bees. Or Beemon. Or whatever. They’re a  _ gang. _ Of  _ humans. _ Who are going to be  _ very _ unhappy with me!

Poxmon: And what have you done to upset a….ah, “gang of humans?”

???: I...uhm...promised them I’d do a job for them in exchange for money, but, eh...it didn’t work out. But they’ll be very demanding for their end of the bargain, even if I tell ‘em not to pay me.

Poxmon: So it appears to be a rather lopsided contract in which they have all control over your ability to participate and you hold none. Am I correct?

???: Yessss…...wait! Why am I venting my troubles to a  _ diseased dog! _ Ay, no, I have to run home right now! Adios, perrita!

Poxmon: “Adios,” human. Though, for future reference, my name is Poxmon.

[Poxmon watches the human run down the street and run into a house. She hums softly to herself, then stands up and continues limping down the street. However, her ears stand up a few minutes later  when she hears voices not too far behind her. She glances over her shoulder and sees several young men wearing matching bandanas. Maybe this was the “gang” to which the girl was referring. She slips into a nearby overgrown lawn and crouches down, listening intently as the men split up and begin scouring the street and those nearby.]

Man1: Yo, any sign of Santoro down there?

Man2: [down at the other end of the street] No luck, man.

Man1: Figures. Lli’ bitch is good at hiding.

Man3: I mean, we  _ did _ hire her to smuggle shit because she’s good at hiding.

Man1: Did I ask for your opinion? Back to fuckin’ searching! We need that crack by tomorrow morning!

[Poxmon hums to herself as she watches the scene unfold. “Santoro” had to be the girl she just ran into. As stealthily as she could, she limped out of the grass and began to slink between houses, making her way back up the street.]

  
  


Sra. Santoro: [glances up as the door closes, hard] Mija! Oh, Gayle, thank goodness. I thought you’d gotten into trouble out there…

Gayle: [runs to her mother, hugging her and giving her a kiss on the cheek] Estoy sana, Mam á . Sorry I was a little late getting home, I didn’t mean to worry you…

Sra. Santoro:  _ Oooooh, _ but you  _ did. _ You need to stop being out so late, mija. The streets are  _ dangerous _ , do you understand?

Gayle: [sigh] Si, Mam á . I’ll come home earlier, I promise.

Sra. Santoro: Good girl. Now, help me with the dishes, por favor.

Gayle: S í , Mam á . 

[the two women work in relative silence for a few moments as loud music plays on Sra. Santoro’s small kitchen radio]

Gayle: ...is Miguel still working?

Sra. Santoro: Si. The market was apparently very short-staffed today, so he had to work a long shift.

Gayle. Ay. Hope it’s going smoothly for him.

Sra. Santoro. You and me both, mija. At the very least, he said he’s getting paid overtime for this.

Gayle: [brightens] Overtime is great news! We’re even closer to making this month’s rent!

Sra. Santoro: Ay, but I’d rather have Miguelito home safe in daylight. The gangs here have been getting more aggressive and I worry.

Gayle: [swallows nervously before giving her mother a kiss on the cheek] Don’t worry, He’ll be home safe, Mam á .

Sra. Santoro: Espero que  está s correcta, mija.

Gayle: I’m gonna go take the trash out, Mam á. I’ll be back in a few minutes.

Sra. Santoro: See that you are, mija. Ten cuidado.

[Gayle nods and grabs the bag of kitchen trash before going outside into the backyard. It is rather overgrown and unkempt, partly because it isn’t well tended to and partly because the woods aren’t far away, as her house was on the edge of town. She walks over to the trash bin and hefts the bag in before shutting it again, then begins walking back around to the door.]

Poxmon: [whisper] Santoro. 

Gayle: AY! Who’s out there- [she pauses as Poxmon steps out of a snarl of weeds, burrs clinging to her ragged fur] O-oh, you’re the perrita from earlier. Who talks.

Poxmon: My name is Poxmon.

Gayle: ...Gayle. Listen, can you go live in someone else’s yard? Mam á will freak if she sees you here-

Poxmon: She will not see me. Your yard provides very thick cover.

Gayle: ...So it does. I’d still rather you go somewhere el-

Poxmon: The Stingers are on this street, looking for you. It is only a matter of time before they find your house here and pull you out.

[the color drains from Gayle’s face almost immediately]

Gayle: Dios mio. 

Poxmon: You need to firmly put an end to your contract, Gayle.

Gayle: Pero, ¿cómo? They’ll kill me, Poxmon! Or they’ll try to go after Miguel, or Mam á-

Poxmon: I will assist you.

Gayle: ...What’s in it for you, Poxmon?

Poxmon: Nothing in particular, to be frank. But something tugs at me to aid you. Perhaps I have gotten far too used to taking care of fools who get in over their heads. Regardless, I want to help you out of this mess.

[pause]

Poxmon: Besides, it will be easier to remain hidden here if gang humans aren’t knocking on the door.

Gayle: There it is.

Poxmon: You seem to have a rather cynical worldview.

[a police siren wails in the distance]

Gayle: Yeah, you tend to get that way when your father bails on your family and you’re left living in the hood because you have barely any money.

[tense silence, Gayle stares into the blank eyes of Poxmon’s mask]

Gayle: ...Sorry. I didn’t mean for it to come out that bitter. But...that’s why I took the job with the Stingers. They said they’d pay me a lot and, well...Even with my older brother Miguel working all day at the market and Mama doing cleaning jobs around town, we’re barely scraping together enough money for monthly rent...I’m not old enough to work  _ legally _ , so…

Poxmon: You took a criminal job to earn a little extra.

Gayle: [sigh]  S í.

Poxmon: And now you want out because it was too dangerous, but getting out is equally as dangerous?

Gayle: Yes, essentially.

Poxmon: [stands up and swishes her tail] Then I will help you get out. Come, Gayle.

Gayle: Wait, hold up. I’m about to go confront a gang with a diseased dog that talks.

Poxmon: I am a Digimon.

Gayle: Yeah, whatever. This is still insane!

Poxmon: Change won’t happen unless you make it. Come. [flicks tail and begins limping around the house]

Gayle: Mamá’s gonna flip when I’m not back inside, like, five minutes ago.

Poxmon: I’m sure the end result of this will be preferrable to the Stingers knocking down your door and potentially hurting your “Mamá.”

Gayle: Ay, got me there.

[they get back around to the front yard, and Gayle swallows hard]

Gayle: You  _ sure _ this will work?

Poxmon: Nothing is certain, but I am fairly positive.

Gayle: [deadpan] Yay.

Man1: HEY, SANTORO! YOU CAN’T HIDE FOREVER, BITCH! [walks past the yard, failing to notice the girl and Digimon crouching in the weeds]

Gayle: [whisper] It’s g-go time.

Poxmon: [whisper] I will aid you, but you must initiate this.

Gayle: [whisper-hiss]  _ Now _ you tell me?!  _ Ay _ , Poxmon!

Poxmon: [whisper] Just go. I am behind you.

Gayle: [mutters to herself before getting up and stepping onto the sidewalk, clearing her throat] G-gentlemen?

Man3: Well hello, señorita. Look who finally turned up.

Gayle: S-sorry for being late.

Man1: You spent the extra time to make your you got all the goods for us, yeah?

Man2: [walking back up the street] We’d hate to be disappointed, y’know!

Gayle: [hard swallow] I-I know. Which is why I’m gonna be up front a-and say…

Man1: [growl] This better not be what I think it is, bitch.

Gayle: [meekly] It is. I-I need to back out. The deal’s off. D-don’t give me the money, it’s fine…

Man1: [grabs the front of Gayle’s black hoodie and pulls her in close, making her squeak in fear] Oh, we aren’t plannin’ on giving you the money, but we’ll  _ definitely _ give you  _ something _ for  _ our _ troubles.

Poxmon: [jumps out of the bushes, tail lashing] Unhand the girl.

Man2:  _ What the fuck is that?! _

Gayle: [weak smile] A f-friend I made.

Man1: I don’t give a shit what it is. Shut it up. And we can have Santoro here watch.

Poxmon: I’m afraid you’ll have trouble with that should you choose to go through with it.

Man3: ...Do we have to, boss? I’m not sure it’s worth fucking with this cryptid bullshit. It’s fuckin’ creepy!

Poxmon: One of your henchmen seems rather wise right now. I recommend listening to him.

Man1: Shut the fuck up, you...you  _ thing. _ I said take it out, men!

[Man2 and Man3 draw knives, warily approaching Poxmon, whose tails is still lashing with her ears pressed forward]

Poxmon: Don’t say I didn’t warn you. [she lunges forward and swipes at their legs with her sharp claws. They howl in pain and drop the knives. In an instant she’s racing back to bat their knives deep into the weeds.]

Man3: Shit!!

Man1: Ugh, fuck this shit! You got  _ lucky _ this time, Santoro!

Poxmon: Please don’t come back. Your company is most unpleasant.

[the Stingers flee down the street, leaving their knives behind, and Gayle falls to her knees, shaking in relief]

Gayle: That...that actually worked…

Poxmon: I didn’t figure that they’d be prepared to see a Digimon taking an aggressive stance toward them.

Gayle: [leans over and throws her arms around Poxmon] Oh, Dios mio, that actually worked! You’re a blessing, Poxmon!

Poxmon: [not visibly reacting at all] Perhaps. I just used logic.

Gayle: I’d be screwed without you, though!

Poxmon: Again, perhaps. Your fate doesn’t hinge on my decisions. Or it shouldn’t, anyway. You should get home-

???: I don’t think so! Goblin Rush!

[A green humanoid Digimon, Goblimon, rushes out of seemingly nowhere and slams his large club into Poxmon. There’s a sickening crunch as she goes flying, but she still manages to land on her feet, skidding to a halt. She betrays no sign of pain besides her now lopsided stance.]

Gayle: Poxmon!! You’re hurt!!

Poxmon: I can handle one Goblimon. You need to get home. Rot Claw!!

[The claws on one of her forepaws get stained from white to deep diseased green with black veins running through them as a miasma of decay surrounds them. She uses the diseased claws to rake at Goblimon as she rushes toward him. He lets out a howl of pain and clutches at the gouges in his arm, now turning dark with rot]

Goblimon: You’ll pay for that one!

Poxmon: P-perhaps. Rot Cl-

Goblimon: Goblin Rush!! [he slams the club into her again with another horrible crack, and this time when she goes skidding she lands on her side, groaning quietly.]

Gayle: POXMON!! Hold on, I...I-i’ll save you!

[Gayle, swallowing down her panic, rushes in and scoops Poxmon into her arms...as much as she can fit in her arms, anyway. She ended up saving her from a finishing blow at the last second; the Goblin Rush clobbered the pavement where Poxmon had been laying seconds before.]

Gayle: Poxmon...Poxmon, speak to me!

Poxmon: [quietly] Poxmon speaking.

Gayle: Don’t you  _ dare _ do that ever again, I’ll-

Poxmon: Get killed if you don’t duck _ right now _ .   
Gayle: Wha- [ducks right as a Goblin Rush was about to impact with her head. Poxmon wriggles out of her arms, wincing in pain]

Poxmon: You’ll only get yourself killed in a Digimon battle. Go home. You have no stake in this fight.

Gayle: Um, yes I do!  _ You! _

Poxmon: [shakes her head] You’re a sweet fool.

Gayle: You won’t fight alone, Poxmon!

[a green ball of light glows between them in that moment, before condensing into a Digivice resembling Poxmon. It slowly descends and Gayle snatches it out of the air with fervor. She frantically mashes buttons before finding the Digi-Modify screen]

Poxmon: [struggles to dodge another Goblin Rush] Gayle, I  _ said _ to-

Gayle: DIGI-MODIFY! SPEED ACTIVATE!

Poxmon: [dodges the next Goblin Rush with unnatural speed and energy, then rushes Goblimon] ROT CLAW!!

Goblimon: ARGH!! [he clutches at his new wound, then shudders and breaks down into loadable data. Poxmon lifts her head and swishes her tail as she loads it.]

Gayle: ...I-I told you I wasn’t letting you fight alone!

Poxmon: ...Thank you, Gayle. Perhaps we are meant to fight together.

Gayle: [clasps Poxmon’s forepaws in her hands] Together forever!

Poxmon: I’m not certain about forever, but together we shall fight. [glances up at the moon] But, in all seriousness, get home now. I will recuperate in your backyard.

Gayle: Muchas gracias, Poxmon. Get well soon!

Poxmon: And good luck with your  Mam á .

Gayle: Ay...


	5. Bell the Cat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: I have voice claims in my head for my Digimon OCs but stupidly enough not their Tamers as of writing this  
> Fun fact: Maumon's voice claim is Invader Zim from the cartoon of the same name.  
> Do with that information what you will.

[Sunday evening, Mark is holding a red bell collar in his hands and sighing loudly]

Mark: Maumon, I promised my parents that my cat would have a bell collar so they could hear where he was at any time. Please just-

Maumon: I’m not your cat, Earthling! [hisses like a cat]

Mark: We agreed that you were my cat as far as cover stories go, now get down here and let me put the damn collar on!

Maumon: [lashes tail and clings harder to the curtains] I refuse to degrade myself like some lower Earth animal!

Mark: For the last time, it’s your freaking  _ cover story! _ Now get down here!!

Maumon: The jingling will be obnoxious!

Mark: Being captured by the government for testing will be even more obnoxious! Now  _ put it on! _

[there is a tense silence before Maumon reluctantly lets go of the curtain, ears pressed flat to his head]

Mark: Good boy, Maumon!

Maumon: Shut your mouth or I will shut it for you!

Mark:  _ Bad _ boy, Maumon. You can’t talk like that in front of my parents. Or at all.

Maumon: [grimacing as Mark puts the collar on] This is so humiliating.

Mark: You’ll learn to love it, I’m sure. Now hush- I think I heard a car pull into the driveway.

[there is indeed the sound of car doors slamming once the boy and his “cat” fall silent]

Mark: [whisper] Remember, no talking. You can meow, but no talking. You’re an Earth cat now.

Maumon: [whisper-hiss] I will flick those disgusting “Kitty Bitz” into your bed while you sleep.

Mark: [whisper] Okay, whatever, they’re about to come in! You’re a cat, like we’ve been practicing!

[at the moment Maumon blanks his face to look like an innocent housecat, the keys turn in the door and Mr. and Mrs. Dameron walk in, clutching their luggage and looking exhausted.]

Mark: Welcome back, Mom and Dad! Wanna say hi to my new cat?

Mrs. Dameron: [setting down her luggage] Oho! What a cute little guy he is, if a bit...odd looking. What’s his name?

Mark: Maumon. Weird name for a weird cat!

Maumon: [bitter meow]

Mrs. Dameron: He sure is talkative! Hello to you too, Maumon. [reaches over to scritch Maumon’s chin; he flinches slightly but doesn’t otherwise resist.]

Mark: He might be, uh, a little unused to people touching him. See...I found him on the street next to the pet store.

Mr. Dameron: Oh? How come you picked up a stray?

Mrs. Dameron: We did give you ample cash for a kitten.

Mark: Well...he looked really hurt, and I didn’t know how long he’d last out there. He could barely move! He...kinda struck me as the one, you know?

Mr. Dameron: Whatever floats your boat, son. We just need to book him a proper vet appointment to make sure he has all his shots and whatnot.

Mrs. Dameron: It wouldn’t do if he gave us all worms, hm?

Mark: Mmm, nope, it wouldn’t. I’m pretty sure he’s on the road to recovery now, but it can’t hurt to check I suppose…

Mrs. Dameron: We can book the appointment tomorrow. Can you help us with our bags, sweetie?

Mark: Yeah, Mom. Maumon, stay! [he walks out the front door with his parents to go get the rest of the bags, leaving Maumon alone for a few minutes]

Maumon: [mumbling bitterly under his breath, sarcastically imitating Mark] Stay, Maumon! Roll over, Maumon! Be a stupid Earth animal, Maumon!  _ You’re _ stupid, Maumon!  _ Hmph! _

[he paces the floor, scowling deeply as the bell on his collar rings, and the collar itself rubs the fur on his long neck]

Maumon: This is no way to treat the Prince of Codex Mountain! He knows not the power I wield in the Digital World!!

[he freezes up mid-rant as the door opens again]

Mark: [a little too loudly] We’re back, Maumon!

Maumon: [bitter, drawn-out meow, with his ears drawn back slightly]

Mr. Dameron: He certainly doesn’t seem used to humans coming and going, my goodness. Hopefully we can socialize him well.

Mark: Hopefully. He seems used to me, at least!

Maumon: [gives Mark a glare through narrowed eyes]

Mark: See? He’s, uh, blinking slow, which uh, means he’s comfortable around me!

Mrs. Dameron: At least he likes you, sweetie. As long as he doesn’t actively try to attack us, the main thing that matters is that he likes  _ you.  _ He’s your cat, after all.

Mark: [a little too loudly again] Yup! He’s my cat.

Maumon: [draws his ears back slightly, then turns and runs up the stairs to Mark’s room, bell jangling loudly]

Mark: [tersely] And now I will go make sure he’s behaving in my room.

Mr. Dameron: You have fun with you cat, son.

[Mark bursts into his room to find Maumon tearing open the nearest Kitty Bitz bag with his teeth, ears flattened.]

Mark: The hell are you doing, Maumon?

Maumon: [spitting out plastic as Kitty Bitz spill out onto the carpet] I decided waiting until you were asleep was too much waiting.

Mark: Are you kidding me, you were  _ serious _ about that!? You asshole!

Maumon: [flicks a Kitty Bit into Mark’s bed] I was dead serious. And it’s “Your Highness” to you!

Mark: You’re seriously testing my generosity, Maumon. Though I guess I’m stuck with you now that my parents know about you.  _ Ugh _ .

Maumon: Oh, trust me, I’d have been out of here by now if it weren’t for the Digivice you got yesterday morning. The power that thing grants me actually makes putting up with your inane demands worth it.  _ Barely. _

Mark: [sighs, pulling the Digivice out of his pocket] Lucky me.

[The Digivice’s idle screen shows an angry frowny face: Maumon’s current emotion]

Maumon: It unfortunately seems to require your operation, so I suppose it connects us. Which means we’re stuck together. Unfortunately.

Mark: Try not to sound so happy about it. Hey, I wonder what other things the Digivice can do…? I’ve not really messed with it since the fight with Candlemon.

Maumon: Are you kidding me. That Digivice could be sour single most important possession right now!

Mark: I was busy getting you settled in, all right! There weren’t any other Digimon around trying to kill you so it didn’t seem urgent!

Maumon: Stow your excuses and investigate the functions of the Digivice!

Mark: Pushy, much? Hold your Digihorses, jerk.

Maumon: “Digihorses” is a nonsense word, Mark. You can’t stick “Digi-” in front of everything like it makes sense.

Mark: Oh, really? Digimon, Digivice, and Digi-Modify are all nonsense words on Earth and yet those are all legitimate terms for you!

Maumon: Doesn’t make “Digihorses” any less of a nonsense word.

Mark: Argh, now you’re distracting me from the stupid Digivice! Shut your Digimouth and stop finding Digireasons to Digifight me!

Maumon: You idio-

Mark:  _ Digican it, Digi-asshole. _

Maumon:  _ Humph. _

Mark: [he fiddles with it for a moment, then finds a new screen labeled Digiradar] Hey, Your Highness, “Digiradar” is a word in the Digivice!

Maumon: Shut up.

Mark: [the Digiradar starts beeping as he turns to Maumon, and then light up once the “ears” on the “head” of the Digivice line up with him. The screen changes to an information readout]

Mark: Huh. I think it’s telling me stuff about you, Maumon.

Maumon: Hm?

Mark: [clears throat] Maumon, Vaccine-type, Mammal Digimon, Rookie level. Special attacks: Torrent Shot and Evaporate. Huh, nothing in here about being a dragon.

Maumon: I’m the last of the Divine Dragons! The Digivice must have its information wrong.

Mark: It clearly says “Mammal Digimon.” Sorry to break it to you Your Highness, but you’re a cat.

Maumon: ...I’ll Digivolve into a dragon. You’ll see. I’m certain I’m a Divine Dragon.

Mark: “Digivolve,” huh? That’s another “Digi-” word, Maumon.

Maumon: Digivolution isn’t a thing to joke about, idiot.

Marl: ...touchy. You wanna explain this Digivolution thing to me, buddy?

Maumon: Don’t call me your “buddy.”

Mark:  _ Fine. _ Tell me about Digivolution, Prince Asshole.

Maumon: [he starts bristling, but then Mark holds up a hand to stop him] Ugh. Fine. Digivolution is a natural part of the Digimon life cycle. As a Digimon gets older and loads more data in combat, it gains access to stronger forms. There are six levels in our life cycle, more or less. Rookie is the third one.

Mark: Wait...so that means you’re gonna get bigger on me?

Maumon: ...probably not. [looks away]

Mark: Oh, what did I do wrong this time?

Maumon: I only recently Digivolved to Rookie, and it’s gonna take a long time to load enough data to Digivolve to Champion….

[long tense silence]

Maumon: And if I fail my mission here, I can kiss Ultimate and Mega goodbye forever. 

Mark: So you’re worried about having your growth stunted or something?

Maumon: I guess. Forget I said anything. [curls up in the middle of the floor, curling his tail over his face]

Mark: ...You’re scared, aren’t you? That’s why you’re such an asshole all the time, isn’t it? So nobody thinks you’re scared?

Maumon: [muffled] Shut up.

Mark: I’m right, aren’t I? [gaze softens slightly]

Maumon: [lifts head to speak clearly, though his words sound forced] I don’t need  _ anybody’s _ help. I’m a  _ Prince. _

Mark: Everybody needs help sometimes, Maumon. It sounds like you have a lot at stake.

Maumon: I...I can do this myself, now that I’m connected to that Digivice.

Mark: Maumon, I think you’re missing the whole point of that Digivice. It means that  _ we’re _ connected to  _ each other _ , Your Highness. We’re supposed to be a team now, I think.

Maumon: Whoop-de-doo. I didn’t ask for teammates.

Mark: Teammates, wha- [a look of realization dawns on his face] Wait a second...you didn’t come here alone, did you?

Maumon: …

Mark: Did you come to Earth with other Digimon?

Maumon: [sighs] Yes, but it wasn’t my idea. My adviser insisted.

Mark: Wanna tell me about your teammates? They might be running around this city for all we know!

Maumon: Humph. Chrysamon’s probably been squashed and loaded by now.

Mark: ...Oooookaaay. So I know one is named Chrysamon and you don’t like Chrysamon much?

Maumon: She got shoved on me as some kind of bodyguard by our Seer and thus far she’s terrible at everything and I’d be better off without her. And I’m now without her. So.

Mark: Okay, you actually sound even more jerk-ish than normal when talking about her. Geez.

Maumon: She’s a pathetic use of data! She would probably do me more good if she let me load her, honestly. I’d be better off for it.

Mark: Wow...Maumon, that’s….

Maumon: Pragmatic? Even my supposedly logical adviser, who was  _ also forced on me by our Seer _ , objected to that ide-

Mark: ...Horrible.

Maumon: ...Oh, come on, not you too-

Mark: Look, I’ve never met Chrysamon, but she’s your bodyguard or whatever and it sounds like you just hate her for no particular reason! That’s  _ horrible! _

Maumon: I hate her because she’s a pathetic excuse for a Digimon. That’s not “for no reason.”

Mark: Do you have any  _ other _ reason?

Maumon: She’s a coward who tries to get out of fighting. Digimon were born to fight!

Mark: Maybe not all Digimon are angry assholes compensating for their hidden fear like you, Maumon! Maybe Chrysamon actually works through her emotions in a healthy manner!

Maumon: ………..

Mark:  _ Stop taking out your emotional constipation on everyone around you, you prick! _

Maumon: [quietly, trembling] Poxmon was the emotionally constipated one. I bet she’s gonna  _ explode _ one of these days. [turns and dives into fluffy cat bed, curling up so he’s facing away from Mark and burying his face in his tail.]

Mark: [deep breath] Look, Maumon I...I’m sorry. Maybe I don’t know how Digimon psyches work or whatever. I’m kind of dumb, I’ll admit. 

Maumon: …..[silent tears are welling in his eyes as his face scrunches unseen]

Mark: I’m sorry. Please just talk to me in the morning, okay? [he glances down at the Digivice’s idle screen, and tears start welling in his eyes when he sees that the face onscreen is crying]

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some art of Maumon and Mark: https://imgur.com/a/5Cf4N


	6. Bookworm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuing off of last chapter's notes: Chrysamon's voice claim is Fluttershy from MLP:FiM.

[Monday morning, and Poppy is groaning, slamming a hand on her alarm. Chrysamon grunts and stirs in the mass of stuffled animals lying next to Poppy; she’d been blending in as a stuffed animal herself.]

Chrysamon: Poppy, what’s that dreadful noise?

Poppy: Mmmm, my alarm clock. I told you I have school today, yeah? [she sits up and grunts, rubbing her eyes unhappily]

Chrysamon: Yes, but I’m still not sure I understand what this “school” is.

Poppy: Basically a bunch of human kids like me get together in one place to learn stuff and be miserable for a few hours every day. And you also have to get up super early for it.

Chrysamon: That sounds…

Poppy: Terrible? ‘Cuz it is. But it’s legally required so what can you do. [swings her legs out of bed and stands up, stretching.]

Chrysamon: ...It sounds kinda like the training I had to do back in the Digital World…

Poppy: Had to get up early and do it for a few hours every day, huh?

Chrysamon: [nods] More or less. I had to learn how to hold my own in fights. I, uh...wasn’t the best student…

Poppy: You kicked the crap out of Tsukaimon the other day, hush. 

Chrysamon: [smile] Yeah, I did win a real fight, huh…

Poppy: Attagirl. Be proud of your accomplishments! No pain, no gain, yadda yadda. [starts getting dressed]

Ms. Jones: [muffled by the door] Are you all right in there, sweetie? I hear you mumbling to yourself in there…

Poppy: I’m fine, Mom! Just psyching myself up for the day!

Ms. Jones: [light-hearted laugh] Glad to hear it, sweetie. Breakfast is ready when you are.

Poppy: Thanks, Mom! [waits for her footsteps to go back to the kitchen]

Chrysamon: [worrying her lip a bit] Does that mean you’re leaving?

Poppy: [popping her head through her shirt and taking a brush to her hair] Yeah, but… [leans in and whispers conspiratorially]  I can totally smuggle you in my backpack so you’re not alone here. Who knows, maybe Maumon and Poxmon are lurking around the school!

Chrysamon: [perks up again, antennae curling into their heart shape] O-oh! Thank you, Poppy! You really are too kind!

Poppy: [shrug] You fit in my backpack, and you’re, like, my best friend now. Of course I wanna bring you to school. All you gotta do is be quiet for a few hours and not move too much. Is that okay?

Chrysamon: It’s okay as long as I get to stay by your side, Poppy.

Poppy: [grins and opens backpack] Hop in, little bug.

Chrysamon: [crawls into backpack before poking head back out] Oooh, does this mean I get to learn more about human stuff?

Poppy: That is does, little bug. That it does. Get ready for a learning adventure! [zips backpack most of the way closed, then swings it onto her back and goes to eat breakfast]

  
  
  


[it is the lunch bell. Poppy hurries out of the history classroom, her eyes looking a little glazed over. She hurries out to the central quad, then slips into the shady patch of grass under a tree. She sighs and unzips her backpack, pulling out her bag lunch while leaving her pack unzipped. After a moment of wary glancing around, Poppy gently nudged the pack with her fist, prompting Chrysamon to peek out of it.]

Poppy: [unwrapping a chicken sandwich] So, what do ya think of school so far?

Chrysamon: Earth history seems interesting enough, but that teacher didn’t sound very excited about it.

Poppy: [laugh] Tell me about it, girl. I’m half convinced he’s just half asleep the entire time, ugh.

Chrysamon: I have to say, my training really isn’t like school at all, actually. Digimon don’t really learn any of these subjects! Except for history, but then it’s Digital World history!

Poppy: Well, humans and Digimon  _ are _ pretty different. Combat training is probably more relevant in the Digiworld…

Chrysamon: [sighs] Yeah, it is.

Poppy: Oh, Chrysamon, I didn’t mean it like that…

Chrysamon: [antennae drooping] I know, I know, it’s just...hard to shake a lifetime of negative comments.

Poppy: [reaching over and patting Chrysamon’s head, causing her antennae to perk again] Well, I’m here to help you shake ‘em off, all right? We’ll find your friends and you can kick some serious ass, yeah?

Chrysamon: Y-yeah.

Poppy: Attagirl. Want some of my sandwich?

Chrysamon: Only if you don’t mind...I am kinda hungry.

Poppy: Hey, help yourself, best friend.

Chrysamon: [nibbles at the lettuce in the sandwich tentatively before her face lights up and she vacuums it up.] O-oh! This is delicious!

Poppy: Glad you like it. More for you; the lettuce is my least favorite bit.

Chrysamon: Oh, yes! Thank you so much!

Poppy: Don’t sweat it, little bug.

[the two eat in companionable silence for a while before the bell for fifth period rings. Poppy sighs and zips up her backpack most of the way before heading back to the grind.]

 

[two hours later, school lets out, and Poppy begins the walk home, with Chrysamon poking out of her backpack and quietly talking to her.]

Chrysamon: ...Is stoichiometry really that bad?

Poppy: Worse, trust me.

Chrysamon: Hehe...I’m kind of glad I’m not in human school now.

Poppy: Yeah, you only have to listen to the lectures. You don’t have to do any homework! In some ways, you Digimon are super lucky, dude.

???: Some of us are bad luck, little girl. Hehehehe.

Poppy: Oh, crap, this is gonna be another Digimon isn’t it.

???: Correct! Hehehehehe!!

Poppy: [groan] And here I thought y’all had decided to leave Chrysamon alone. When will you leave us alone?!

???: Nevermore! Demi Dart!!

[a giant syringe flies out of the shadows, and Poppy just barely avoids it]

Poppy: Shit!! What the hell?

Chrysamon: [leaping out of the backpack while Poppy is ducking] Silk Shot!!

[the sink strands shoot into the shadow of a nearby building and drag out a screaming Digimon that looks somewhere between bird and bat. The Digivice clipped to Poppy’s skirt begins to vibrate, and she picks it up and reads it as the Digimon cuts himself free of the silk, quirking an eyebrow]

Poppy: DemiDevimon, Virus-type, Evil Digimon, Rookie Level. His special attacks are Demi Dart and Evil Whisper! Sounds like a nasty bugger!

Chrysamon: [steeling herself] I’ll protect you from him, Poppy!

DemiDevimon: [flapping his wings to rise back into the air] Aw, how cute! The wittle bug wants to pwotect her human! Too bad the wittle bug is about to get SQUASHED! Evil Whisper!!

[an ominous voice fills the air, and Chrysamon winces, scrunching her eyes shut. She seems to breathe heavily even as the voice fades.]

Poppy: Chrysamon! Are you all right?!

Chrysamon: B-been better! Oh, Crypts, it hurts…

DemiDevimon: Hehehehehehe, Demi Dart! [he throws another large syringe at Chrysamon, and it hits her head on. She screams as she’s knocked back by the impact, and she grunts as she yanks the syringe out.]

Chrysamon: Silk Shot!! [silk threads shoot out and tangle DemiDevimon up. He falls like a rock, unable to keep up his flight with tangled wings, and is too stunned to resist as Chrysamon tosses her head and throws him against a nearby wall with a loud crunch. She seems a bit stronger after loading Tsukaimon.]

DemiDevimon: Ouch...not bad for a wittle bug…

Poppy: No more messing around, Chrysamon! Let’s finish him off! [she scrolls through her Digivice before hitting the central button] Digi-Modify! Power activate!

Chrysamon: [She lets out a cry as power surges through her] SILK SHOT!!

DemiDevimon: Oh cra- [he’s cut off as he’s completely wrapped up in a silk cocoon that Chrysamon then slams into the opposite building with all the force she can muster. There’s a sickly crack from the cocoon before its mass collapses and data fragments phase through it. Chrysamon crawls forward to load DemiDevimon’s data.]

Poppy: [pumping her fist] ATTAGIRL, CHRYSAMON! That’s another victory!! Man, you’re gonna knock the socks off of your friend when they see how strong you’re getting!

Chrysamon: I...I hope s-so. I mostly just win because of the boosts from the Digivice…

Poppy: [scoops Chrysamon into her arms and twirls her around] Ah, but who said the power of teamwork is weak? I think we make a great team, don’t you?

Chrysamon: Y-yeah...yeah, I really do. [eyes shine]

Poppy: Oh! Just for fun, while it’s out...apparently the digivice reads stuff about nearby Digimon! I wonder what this Digiradar has to say about you, Chrysamon?

Chrysamon: [shrugs, but holds still for whatever scan the Digiradar will perform on her.]

Poppy: Chrysamon, Data-type, Larva Digimon, Rookie Level. Your special attacks are Silk Shot and Gnaw.

Chrysamon: Hehe, that thing’s pretty handy.

Poppy: I’ll say. It’ll give us some heads up for any Digimon we might have to fight in the future.

Chrysamon: Knowledge is power! Maybe that’s why humans have to go to school?

Poppy: [laughs, giving Chrysamon a pat on the head before loading her back in her backpack] You’re pretty smart yourself, Chrysamon. If knowledge is power then you’re already freakin’ strong.

Chrysamon: Oh, I can’t possibly be that smart! You flatter me!

Poppy: Nah, I mean it. You pick up on human stuff pretty fast. It’s pretty impressive, really.

Chrysamon: Th-thank you, Poppy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art of Chrysamon and Poppy: https://imgur.com/a/gGdbA


	7. The Hazard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And finally for now, Poxmon's voice claim is Raven from Teen Titans (2003)

[Gayle walks into the backyard sighing loudly. It is Tuesday afternoon. She has just sped through her homework and is looking to vent about her day. The house is empty; her mother and Miguel are still out working their jobs.]

Gayle: Poxmon, amiga? Are you there?

Poxmon: [stepping gracefully out of a clump of weeds, her blank mask betraying no emotion] I am always here, Gayle.

Gayle: Claro, claro. You’re so good at hiding, is all. Sometimes I forget you’re here!

Poxmon: I have no intention of leaving this place. It is a safe place to recuperate, and your presence lends me strength. I feel it.

Gayle: I wouldn’t make you leave either. You’re like...my guardian angel in a freaky mask! Why do you wear that, anyway?

Poxmon: I have my reasons. I could ask why you always wear that hoodie.

Gayle: Cuz it’s...comfy...and stuff.

Poxmon: I could say the same about my mask. It feels comfortable.

Gayle: Huh. I guess whatever floats your boat. Digimon fashion sure is weird.

Poxmon: Digimon don’t really have a concept of “fashion.”

Gayle: Digimon in general are kinda weird. But I’m probably saying that cuz I’m a human.

Poxmon: Humans do live rather different lives than Digimon do. I suppose it’s only natural that there’s a cultural barrier.

Gayle: Ay, you always sound so smart, amiga. You said you were an adviser to a Prince, right?

Poxmon: A very foolish and stubborn Prince, yes.

Gayle: That’s pretty cool. You were like, basically DigiRoyalty!

Poxmon: I was never royalty, but I did aid the Prince in some decisions. We are of similar age, but I was judged to have a suitable personality to keep him in check. I steered him in the direction of logical decisions with a touch of firmness.

Gayle: Sounds like you had a lot of influence in royal decisions, though. That’s still a lot of power and responsibility.

Poxmon: I have a lot of experience with responsibility. Being the royal advisor isn’t the biggest burden to be placed on my shoulders.

Gayle: I’m sure I’d crumble under all that pressure...You’re made of really strong stuff, amiga.

Poxmon: I merely strive to perform my duties to the best of my abilities.

Gayle: So I guess that begs the question...why do you stay here instead of looking for the Prince and his bodyguard? I love your company, I adore it, but isn’t it your duty to go find them?

Poxmon: It is more prudent for me to lay low right now. I currently have no idea of where Chrysamon and Maumon are. To venture out and search for them currently would be foolhardy. I’m sure that signs of their presence will begin to crop up as time passes, and then I will follow the trail to discover where they are and what state they are in.

Gayle: ...You have a plan for everything, huh?

Poxmon: It is good to have contingency plans for as many situations as possible.

Gayle: [giggle] Maybe if I’m lucky, some of your brains will rub off on me!

Poxmon: Perhaps. I will do my best to guide you. It behooves me to have a human partner who knows what she’s doing, no?

Gayle: So many big words! I’ll do my best to follow your guidance, Oh Wise Friend of Mine.

Poxmon: It will be pleasant to have a cooperative charge for once.

Gayle: Prince Maumon was really that much of a jerk, huh?

Poxmon: Jerk is a word for it, yes. He was incredibly stubborn and hot-headed. He was insecure about his abilities as a Prince because he had to ascend to power very soon after Digivolving to Rookie level. I had to argue with him quite frequently to even nudge him toward the most logical path sometimes.

Gayle: So he’s like a stupid kid?

Poxmon: In human terms, yes.

Gayle: Dang. You must be one hell of a babysitter, hehe.

Poxmon: [tilts her head, flicking an ear] I am not familiar with that term.

Gayle: Oh, it’s...an adult human who takes care of younger humans while the younger humans’ parents are busy.

Poxmon: Hm. I suppose I am a sort of babysitter toward Maumon, though we are both Rookie level. [tilts head in other direction, contemplating this.] What an interesting thought. Humans are fascinating.

Gayle: Heh, I think Digimon are pretty fascinating too. You guys are certainly a lot different than us humans.

[Poxmon suddenly tenses up, ears standing erect and she stands up]

Gayle: Eh? What’s up, amiga?

Poxmon: There’s an enemy Digimon approaching.

Gayle: Here? Dios mio…[she pulls her Digivice out of her hoodie pocket as it begins to vibrate, the Digiradar activated]

Gayle: Uh...Gazimon! Virus-type, Mammal Digimon, Rookie level! Its special attacks are Electric Stun Blast and Pitfall!

Poxmon: [tail lashing, ears swiveling] Easy.

Gazimon: Excuse you! I’ll have you know that I’m plenty tough,  _ Hazard! _

Poxmon: [stiffening] Excuse me?

Gazimon: Yeah, rot-breath! I know who you are! We got briefed on it and shiz! Apparently you’re a Hazard! I bet I can beat a Hazard!

Gayle: Uh, what’s a Hazard?

Gazimon: It means your friend here is stupid dangerous, pal! Lemme do you a favor and take care of her, eh? Electric Stun Blast!! [She exhales black gas that crackles with electricity, and Poxmon gets unnaturally tense as it washes over her]

Poxmon: Gayle! I can’t move!

Gazimon: Damn straight. [she rushes Poxmon, swinging her claws forward to rake them across her coarse pelt. Poxmon winces but doesn’t otherwise show pain.]

Gayle: Uh...uh! [scrolls through Digivice before slamming a button] Digi-Modify! Speed activate!

Poxmon: Thank you. [she shudders rapidly as she shakes off the Electric Stun Blast, and then proceeds to rush at Gazimon, her claws blackening.] ROT CLAW!!

Gazimon: Aw, crud! [she just barely dodges out of the way, before turning tail and running into the bushes]

Poxmon: You’re a pathetic coward who can’t finish what she starts. But, I can’t let you run now. You have so generously offered me data that I require in this time of uncertainty. [she takes off chasing after Gazimon, only to yell in surprise as she steps into a Pitfall trap that Gazimon dug before the fight]

Gazimon: That...or maybe I was luring your stupid butt into a trap. HA! And you’re supposed to be the smart one? My tail! Oh well, your data will be delicious, Hazard!

Poxmon: Would you please refrain from calling me Hazard?

Gazimon: You ain’t exactly in a position to be negotiatin’, hon.

Poxmon: I can still attack from down here, just so you know. Miasma!!

[Poxmon’s fur all stands on end, and she arches her back violently while lashing her tail, launching a horrible dandruff burst into the air. Gazimon begins to hack and cough.]

Gazimon: Augh! What the hell was that?! You’re disgusting!!

Poxmon: That was my Miasma attack. I am merely making use of my natural arsenal. [she digs her claws into the side of the pitfall, testing the firmness, then begins to claw her way up and out while Gazimon is distracted.]

Gazimon: [still coughing] Grossgrossgross-

Poxmon: Rot Claw!! [she slashes her blackened claws across Gazimon’s face, making the other Digimon scream in agony. In a few moments, Gazimon had fragmented into data that Poxmon immediately began loading.]

Poxmon: These Dark Army foot soldiers are pathetic, frankly.

Gayle: [swallows] So, uh, amiga? What was that Hazard business all about?

Poxmon: What business? She was merely insulting me.

Gayle: I know, but I mean...she kept calling you Hazard, like it was a special title or something. What does it mean?

Poxmon: It’s short for Digital Hazard. It means that I...have a power inside. A power that is dangerous if it is not contained. Therefore, I work to keep it contained. That is the burden i was referring to earlier, the burden that is heavier than my duties to the Prince. Don’t fret too much over it, Gayle.

Gayle: I...I’m just worried. You’re my friend, so the Digital Hazard stuff...it should be a burden I help you with, no? That’s what friends do.

Poxmon: You can scan me with the Digiradar, if you wish. If you feel it will enlighten you as to my nature. I can sense your lingering uneasiness.

Gayle: O-okay. [she pulls up the Digiradar and scans Poxmon with it.] Poxmon, Virus-type, Mammal Digimon, Rookie level. Isn’t that what it said for Gazi-

[she got cut off by the screen flickering to one that read DIGITAL HAZARD WARNING with the symbol on both Poxmon’s chest and the center button of the Digivice. After a few moments it switched back to the normal Digiradar screen.]

Gayle: ...Geez, even the Digiradar is calling you a Digital Hazard.

Poxmon: I have it under control.

Gayle: Okay...but if anything ever goes wrong with it...I can help you control it too, okay, amiga?

Poxmon: [subtle nod] Acknowledged, Gayle. Now go help your mother with her supplies. I just heard her truck pull up in the driveway.

Gayle: [gives Poxmon a quick hug, giving the side of her mask a quick peck] Muchas gracias, Poxmon! Whatever would I do without your hearing?

Poxmon: Get in trouble for being deep in the backyard without permission when your mother isn’t home and the sun is going down, most likely.

Gayle: So serious, Poxmon! [she waves as she turns and runs back toward the house, stumbling over some stray fallen branches]

Poxmon: [mumble] I’m serious because I have to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art of Poxmon and Gayle: https://imgur.com/a/yzBze
> 
> Art of the Digivices: https://imgur.com/a/uj3SX


	8. Lost Crown

[It is Friday afternoon. Mark’s parents have gone away on another business trip as of yesterday, and he was just coming home from the private school he attended. He sighed, knowing that he got to look forward to a weekend alone with a Digimon who was still mad at him for his comments nearly a week ago. Somehow there had only been one Digimon attack during the week, and as usual, the Damerons weren’t paying attention to what was happening around the house. The attack hadn’t done anything to soothe Maumon’s anger, though.]

Mark: [wearily] Maumon? I’m just gonna check real quick: Are you still mad at me?

Maumon: [sitting on the kitchen table, eating out of a pulltab tuna can he had somehow opened, glares at Mark and turns his head]

Mark: [sigh] I thought so. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?  _ Anything? _

Maumon: ....

Mark: Look, I’ll say it again: I’m sorry I upset you so much the other day. I didn’t understand how you think...and I honestly still kinda don’t. It hurts to see you so upset! You’ve been upset over this for literally most of the time we’ve known each other!

Maumon: ………………………..

Mark: Are you gonna keep giving me the silent treatment? You know my parents are gone again...I mean, of course you do, you’re eating out of a tuna can on top of the table…

[several beats of tense silence]

Mark: ...you’re not in a talking mood. I get it. Sorry for bothering you again, Your Highness. [starts walking up to his room, glancing over at Maumon real quickly to see if the royal title lifted his spirits any. Maumon was still staring intently at the tuna can, face unreadable. Mark sighs and continues up the stairs to go work on his homework.]

 

[about an hour passes before there’s a loud bang outside. Mark immediately jolts out of dozing on top of his math homeworld.]

Mark: Huh? What?

[there’s another loud thud and a roar, and Mark rushed to his window to see what’s going on. There was what looked to be a black cat on two legs and wearing purple gloves chasing a thin vaporcloud around the yard, swatting at it. The cloud moved slowly...and after a few seconds of staring he realized that the cloud was vaguely Maumon-shaped. He was witnessing a Digimon attack.]

Mark: Maumon! I’m coming! [he opens the window and throws himself onto the tree branch outside, clinging to it. He then pulls out his now-vibrating Digivice to access the Digiradar.]

Mark: Maumon! That’s a BlackGatomon! Virus-type, Demon Beast Digimon...Champion level! [gasp] Isn’t that the next one after Rookie?!

Maumon: [his Evaporate wears off and he returns to solid form] I don’t need you distracting me with stuff I already  _ know _ , Mark! Just give me the power ups!

Mark: Is that all I’m good for in your world?! Oh, and by the way, its special attacks are Lightning Paw and Cat’s Eyes.

BlackGatomon: [purring] Oh, what a useful attendant you have, Prince! Too bad that information can’t save you from having your data loaded by moi. Lightning Paw!! [she rushes forward and slams her clawed glove into Maumon’s face, sending flying as if he were weightless. He slams into a nearby tree, slumping down in a daze for a moment.]

Mark: MAUMON! Uh...Digi-Modify! Stamina activate!

Maumon: Ngh…[he struggles to his feet, though he looks less beat up than he should after recieving a blow of that magnitude] Torrent Shot!!

BlackGatomon: Ha! [she effortlessly dodges the stream of water, then lowers her eyelids enticingly] Cat’s Eye!! [Maumon is frozen to the spot, his yellow eyes locked with hers. She saunters up to him slowly, tail swaying side to side over her head, before she winds up a punch with a smirk.] Lightning Paw!!

[Maumon goes sailing across the yard, skidding in the grass, before lying still for a moment, groaning loudly]

Mark: Oh no oh no oh no….DIGI-MODIFY! SPEED ACTIVATE!

Maumon: Ngh! [he jolts to his paws as new energy flows through him, and he dodges the next Lightning Punch that likely would have finished him off.] EVAPORATE!! [Maumon fades into a barely visible cloud of vapor...he still moves slowly, but slightly faster than he was before. BlackGatomon growls in frustration]

BlackGatomon: That stupid trick of yours will only work so many times, Prince. The instant that Evaporate thing wears off, your data is  _ mine. _

Mark: D-digi-Modify! Power activate! [the Digivice beeps forlornly; it has almost exhausted its power for this battle.]

BlackGatomon: Hm...I wonder if this pathetic creature is why you’re so freakishly hardy for a Rookie, Prince. [she rushes Mark, tackling him to the ground before holding sharp claws over his throat.] How about this: You give me your data, and your silly pet lives. [a toothy grin splits her face.]

Maumon: [Evaporate wears off, and he stands on shaking legs, ears pulled back and lip curled in a snarl.] Don’t. You.  _ Dare. _

BlackGatomon: It’s entirely your choice, my Prince. Your data for the creature’s life. Simple trade. If we don’t have a deal he dies, no loss for me.

Maumon: Y-you’re bluffing. He’s your only bargaining chip against me.

BlackGatomon: I don’t need a bargaining chip against you with how weak you are. It’s just a matter of me finding this fight awfully long and inconvenient with you Evaporating after every other blow. [examines her claws on her free paw nonchalantly]

Mark: M-maumon, don’t do it! I’ll figure a way out of this…[he swallows hard as BlackGatomon’s claw tips press hard into his trachea for a moment]

BlackGatomon: Don’t go getting any fancy ideas there, silly creature. You’re  _ far _ weaker than even  _ Maumon _ right now.

Maumon: [through grit teeth] I’m. Not.  _ WEAK!  _ [some data fragments off of his lashing tail as he says this]

BlackGatomon: Oh, come on. You’re falling apart at the seams and you’re trying to insist you can still win! Ha! I had heard that you were hot-headed, but nobody talks about how truly  _ stupid  _ you are, my Prince!

Maumon: TORRENT SHOT!! [a high pressure jet of water catches BlackGatomon off guard and knocks her off of Mark. He scrambles to his feet as fast as he can as Maumon sprints past him, lunging straight at BlackGatomon.]

Mark: Maumon!! Let’s just run, please!

Maumon: [tears streaming down his face]  _ I’M NOT WEAK!! TORRENT SHOT!! _

[another jet of water knocks BlackGatomon over with a startled yowl, and she goes wide eyed with sudden fear as Maumon stands on top of her, tail lashing in fury. His eyes hold no mercy in their yellow fire.]

Maumon: Begone.

BlackGatomon: It was just a game, i swe-

[she is cut off by Maumon’s teeth suddenly lodging in her throat. She screams and then chokes as she fragments into data that Maumon then loads, cold fury remaining in his gaze. His own fragmenting body begins to stabilize with the addition of her data, and he lifts his head to stare directly at Mark, his pupils slitted like a wild animal’s.]

Maumon: I. Am. Not.  _ Weak. _

Mark: [takes a step back, holding his hands up in a placating gesture] I-I’m really sorry for what I said the other day, Maumon, really! Is that what all this is about? I don’t think you’re weak!! Saying that you need my help and saying that I think you’re weak are two totally different things, I promise!

Maumon: [turns away with a small sob] Everyone else thinks I’m weak. 

Mark: ...Maumon…

Maumon: Everyone thinks I’m a weak excuse for a Divine Dragon. That my being the last one is some kind of joke. Clearly my existence  _ is _ a joke if my bodyguard is a worm who can’t fight...like…”Here, even forces unknown have decided that this worm can protect you better than you can!” Our Seer is pulling a prank on me if it’s not the Light of the Crypts doing it. And I know Poxmon thinks I’m really stupid. Let’s see her swampy butt try to uphold an ancient legacy all by herself! [tears well anew in Maumon’s eyes, and he collapses in a sobbing fit as the adrenaline wears off]

Mark: ...Maumon, I had no clue you felt that way. I...I’m so sorry. [he moves to sit cross-legged next to Maumon, giving him his own space] ...You wanna tell me more about your life in the Digital World? I don’t think you’re weak at all...I just wanna understand what you’ve been through.

Maumon: [wiping some of his tears away with his tailtip upon realizing Mark was sitting next to him] It’s probably a bunch of stuff an Earthling won’t care about. Dragons and shit. You still don’t think I’m a Dragon.

Mark: I  _ know _ you’re a Dragon. I saw you fight like one just now, beating some horrific odds to win that fight.  _ That _ took strength.

Maumon: [quiet for a moment] ...So I’m not spewing bullshit after all, huh?

Mark: I believe you. It’s not my life and not my story. It’s  _ yours _ . You get to tell it.

Maumon: [shaky sigh] So my parents were the last pair of Divine Dragons in the world. My dad, the King, got his data loaded when I was...heck, I was probably just Fresh, I can’t even remember. My mom...she got loaded right after I Digivolved to Rookie. I’m what you Earthlings call an orphan.

Mark: ...O-oh.

Maumon: Everyone suddenly expected a fucking Rookie to be a confident ruler in the middle of the worst crisis the Digital World had ever seen. [tears well up anew in his eyes from pent up emotions being unleashed] I w-wasn’t ready, nobody c-could ever be ready like that…! I’ve had to keep up this facade of strong confident ruler for too long, too young…

Mark: ...Rookie is the Digimon equivalent of just being a kid, isn’t it.

Maumon: [he nods, actually allowing himself to let out a sob while looking Mark in the eyes...and then he flings his head into Mark’s lap, sobbing violently]

Mark: ...let it out, Maumon. Let it all out. Nobody needs you to be a strong ruler here. I just want you to be Maumon, my best friend. [he pulls Maumon fully into his lap, cradling the sobbing Digimon gently in his arms.] Let it out, friend.

[They sit in silence for a long time, Mark simply cradling Maumon like a baby as the feline Digimon cried himself into exhaustion. Eventually Maumon lay still in his partner’s arms, facial fur soaked in tears, his eyes sore and puffy from crying so much. ]

Mark: ...Don’t you feel better now, Maumon?

Maumon: [he’s silent, but then nods almost imperceptibly with a small whimper]

Mark: Promise me you’ll never bottle things up like that again. It’ll just eat you alive from the inside, and everything will be worse off for it.

Maumon: [swallows hard] O-okay.

Mark: C’mon. Let’s get you some refreshment after that fight. You fought real hard...you gotta keep up that strength of yours. You want more tuna?

Maumon: [quietly] Mix it with the Kitty Bitz.

Mark: ...Y-you liked the Kitty Bitz?!

Maumon: ...the flavor was bland as hell, but they have n-nice texture. Likewise, tuna tastes good but is all weird in texture. Mix them together.

Mark: ...You  _ liked _ . The  _ Kitty Bitz _ .

Maumon: ...A little. Mix them with the tuna, please.

Mark: [his face breaks into a huge grin] You’ve been holding out on me, buddy! What else have you enjoyed here that you wouldn’t admit to because you were putting on a show?

Maumon: [draws his ears back, scowling] Don’t push it, Earthling. Make me my dinner now.

Mark: [wry chuckle] Worth a shot. Tuna and Kitty Bitz coming right up, buddy.

 


	9. Firefly

[It is a Monday afternoon, after a nice weekend. Poppy is walking into the girls’ locker room after her final class, whispering over her shoulder to seemingly nobody]

Poppy: All right, Chrysamon. I have to go practice...we got last week off because Coach had to go on a personal trip, but now we’re back in session. I just need you to chill out in my locker for a while, ‘kay? You take take a nap or something. The door has has little holes built into it for some reason, so...you should be all right in there for a couple hours.

Chrysamon: All right. That should be okay.

Poppy: Thanks for being cool with this, little bug. Now I gotta change, so this is goodbye for now.

Chrysamon: [small smile] Goodbye for now, Poppy. [she curls up in the backpack as Poppy parks her stuff near her locker and starts changing into uniform. She feels a shift as the backpack is carefully crammed into the locker, and then hears the door close as Poppy jogs off to practice. She lets out a little sigh as she shuts her eyes and tries to doze off for the recommended nap.]

  
  


[an hour later, Poppy is sprinting across the finish line of the 100-meter dash as her coach hits the button on the stopwatch, grinning]

Coach: 13.9 seconds, Jones. Good job!

Poppy: [breathing heavily, she gives Coach a thumbs up as she walks a short distance as a cooldown, absently hearing the signal for the next girl to run. As she walks, however, she realizes that she smells smoke in the distance.]

Poppy: Is that a regular fire that started recently, or…?

[she squints into the distance across the field and realizes that some flames are creeping toward the fence...and one of the flames looks distinctly humanoid]

Poppy:  _ Digimon! _ [she turns and begins running toward the locker room]

Coach: Where are you going, Jones? Practice isn’t over yet!

Poppy: Bathroom! I gotta pee, like, suuuuper bad! BYE!

Coach: [sigh] At least her time is improving...NEXT!

[Poppy bursts into the locker room, running over to her locker and throwing it open, forcefully yanking her backpack out. Chrysamon yelps in surprise as the motion jolts her awake, and again as Poppy roughly grabs her and hauls her out of the pack, grabbing the Digivice in her other hand.]

Chrysamon: P-poppy! I didn’t think your practice would be over so soon!

Poppy: It’s not. I think there’s a Digimon on the far side of the grass field, though!

Chrysamon: O-oh my…

Poppy: C’mon, grab hold of my shoulder! We gotta go stop that thing before it hurts anyone!

Chrysamon: R-right, of course! [she steels her gaze and crawls up Poppy’s arm to curl herself around her partner’s shoulders as Poppy starts running out of the locker room again. She maintains speed across the grass field, spurred on by the fact that the flames look even bigger than before. Standing at the front of the inferno is a human-shaped flame with a stitched mouth, grinning wickedly]

???: I knew I’d draw you out with a little bit of fire!

Poppy: You asshole, you could’ve gotten innocent people hurt!

???: Eh, collateral damage. Humans mean naught to me. 

Poppy: The fuck are you, anyway? [She checks her vibrating Digivice] Meramon, Data-type, Flame Digimon, Champion level. His special attacks are Roaring Fire and Fire Fist... [her eyes widen slightly] Oh, crap, a  _ Champion…? _

Chrysamon: [softly] Oh, no.

Meramon: Yes, child, a Champion. Hand over the runaway Digimon and I leave quietly. Put up a fight, and, well…[wicked smile] This will get very ugly for you very fast.

[sounds of panicking girls in the distance as the track team has clearly noticed the flames rising from afar. Poppy stands her ground, though she swallows nervously]

Poppy: You need to leave, ugly. Chrysamon and I aren’t giving up without a fight!

Meramon: [chuckle] Very well! Roaring Fire!! [he holds out his hands, and even more flames begin to engulf the area. Poppy lets out a scream and starts backing up as Chrysamon reluctantly leaps off of her shoulders]

Chrysamon: SILK SHOT!! [the silk threads shoot through the air...and then begin burning up upon contact with Meramon’s flaming body. He just laughs and shakes the burnt remains of the threads off. Chrysamon looks totally horrified.]

Chrysamon: Poppy! M-my Silk Shot won’t work on Meramon! Wh-what do I d-do?

Meramon: Surrender, perhaps? Fire Fist!! [he lunges forward and slams a flaming fist into Chrysamon. She screams in pain and goes flying into some of the flames now surrounding the makeshift battlefield.]

Poppy: CHRYSAMON,  _ NO! _ DIGI-MODIFY! STAMINA ACTIVATE!

[Chrysamon scuttled out of the wall of fire, wincing constantly and biting her lip. She stares up at Meramon in terror as she emerges; he is observing her with total nonchalance.]

Meramon: Hm. You’re tougher than you look...then again, I suppose that isn’t saying much.

Poppy: H-hang in there, Chrysamon! Digi-Modify! Power activate!

[Chrysamon forces herself to raise her body a little, antennae lifting as the power surged through her]

Chrysamon: SILK SHOT!! [the threads actually make contact with Meramon now, and with a tug of her head Chrysamon manages to trip Meramon before the silk burns away again.]

Meramon: AUGH! [lands on his hands and knees, setting fire to more of the field] 

Poppy: YEAH! You can do this, Chrysamon!! [pumps her fist in relief]

Chrysamon: Uhm...m-maybe...It took a power boost to even make contact with him, and I’m not sure how long it’ll-

[a fiery hand clamps around Chrysamon’s body while she’s distracted]

Chrysamon: -LAST! EEP!

Meramon: I tire of you, worm. I think you should compensate me for my time by giving me your data now. [his other first begins to light up with flames]

Chrysamon: [her eyes become huge, and her antennae go completely limp as her eyes reflect the flames]

Poppy: [her breath catches in her throat, and she stares in wide-eyed horror] N-no...no…

Meramon: FIRE FIST!! [he slams his flaming fist into Chrysamon’s head and lets go of her so she’ll go flying again, enjoying watching her skid helplessly into the flames again. She no longer has the energy to scream.]

Poppy: S-STOP IT! 

Meramon: This is a Digimon matter, human. Step aside and cease your interfering. [he slowly advances on the patch of flames Chrysamon has disappeared into, taking his sweet time getting there]

Poppy: [tears welling in her eyes, mashing the grayed out Stamina button on the Digi-Modify screen] No, no, no, NO! Get up, Chrysamon! You have to! You HAVE TO! DIGI-MODIFY! SPEED ACTIVATE!

[Chrysamon drags herself out of the patch of flame and onto some charred grass, breathing heavily as her form flickers, threatening to fragment into data at any second. The sight elicits a distressed sob from Poppy]

Poppy: Ch-chrysamon...you  _ have _ to get up!  _ Please! _ You can do it!!

Chrysamon: [weakly, barely audible] I-I’m not strong enough. P-please just save yourself, Poppy…

Meramon: Yes, worm, give up. It will make your end so much swifter. [he still takes his sweet time talking over there, enjoying the intimidation. He is secure in his knowledge that Chrysamon has no way to escape her fate at this point.]

Chrysamon: [whispered, to herself] I’m s-so sorry, Poxmon...M-maumon...I’m n-not strong enough…

Poppy: [somewhere between screaming and sobbing; The Digivice has run out of boosts to provide for this battle] GET UP, CHRYSAMON!

Meramon: Quiet your screaming, child, or I will quiet it for you! [his fist starts lighting up with flames again as he nears the spot where Chrysamon is sprawled in the grass, body pixelating]

Poppy: I WON’T LET YOU KILL MY BEST FRIEND! [she sprints forward, actually throwing herself on Meramon. He cries out in surprise as she tackles him to the ground, and flames start licking at her body. She screams in agony as she rolls off of him, some of her skin burnt badly and parts of her track uniform on fire. Chrysamon weakly lifts her head a short distance away, tears streaming down her face.]

Meramon: You insolent little-! [he gets back up, and grabs Poppy by the collar of her burning shirt, only setting it further aflame] It’s a shame I can’t load a human’s data, but that won’t stop me from  _ punishing _ you!

[Meramon is suddenly given pause by the Digivice clipped to the waist of Poppy’s flaming shorts suddenly vibrating violently as the screen lit up brighter than was normal. The eyes on the idle screen changed into stars as the mouth became a drawn line. The vibrating became rhythmic, as if sending out pulses. At the same time, Chrysamon’s antennae suddenly stood bolt upright, and she lifted her fragmenting body to stand on her two back legs, looking incredibly alert.]

[the screen of the Digivice suddenly changed to typing out a word in bold text.]

 

**DIGIVOLUTION_**

 

Chrysamon: [in a surprisingly powerful voice, given her state] Chrysamon Digivolve to…

[suddenly, a bright pink light enveloped her. Within the ball of light, her skin peeled away to reveal a pink wireframe that immediately began to reconfigure its shape before skin covered the frame once again. Poppy watched as the ball of pink light doubled in size, then burst apart to reveal…]

???: PAPILLOMON!!

[Poppy stared at Papillomon, twice as large as tiny Chrysamon, now with four fully developed arms and two legs. She hovered in the air on small pink butterfly wings, her eyes narrowed aggressively. As Meramon dropped her in shock, she caught a glance at her Digiradar.]

Poppy: [weakly, to herself] Papillomon...Data-type, Insect Digimon, Champion level...special attacks: ButterPunch and Flying Kick. [she allows herself a small smile, knowing that Papillomon could hold her own now, and closes her eyes from exhaustion.]

Papillomon: Hey, you big bully! Leave Poppy alone!!

Meramon: So you can Digivolve...no matter. I can still squish you like the little worm you are! Fire Fist!! [he lunges forward to strike, but Papillomon dodges easily, her speed boost from earlier still active. His eyes widen in surprise.]

Papillomon: You wanna fight? I can match you now! ButterPunch!! [she curls her four fists up, then unleashes a rapid-fire barrage of punches on Meramon’s face. Meramon staggers backward, momentarily stunned by the volley of powerful blows.]

Papillomon: And this is for being cruel and drawing it out! FLYING KICK!! [she flies up above him rapidly, the dive bombs his head with her leg extended. Meramon cries out and goes sprawling in the blackened grass. Papillomon smirks in grim satisfaction.]

Papillomon: [mockingly] And for my time, I think You should give me your data as compensation. [She watches Meramon’s eyes widen in dismay before raising her arms again] ButterPunch!! [she stands over him, unloading another barage on his prone form, before he let out a groan and fragmented into data. Papillomon stood proudly and loaded it all, her tail lashing.]

Papillomon: We did it, Poppy! We beat Mer-

[she turns and then screams in horror as she sees Poppy lying eerily still in the charcoal grass, burned all over. She runs to her side and begins rolling Poppy over and over along the ground to extinguish the remaining flames on her uniform. It’s not much of a uniform anymore.]

Papillomon: Poppy? Are you okay? Speak to me, Poppy, speak to me!!

[Poppy cracks her eyes open a sliver, and weakly lifts a burnt hand to cup Papillomon’s cheek as tears well in the Digimon’s eyes.]

Poppy: You did it...and you’ve turned into a beautiful butterfly…

Papillomon: [firmly] I’m...i’m g-getting you out of this ring of fire, I p-promise. [she gets her four arms under Poppy, and then with seemingly impossible strength for her size she manages to weakly flutter off the ground while carrying her partner. She steels herself, then rushes through a thin part of the fire as fast as possible, the flames barely touching her or Poppy. Then she crashes to the ground beyond, Poppy rolling out of her arms as Papillomon’s face slams into the grass at full speed. With a groan and a flash of pink light, she reverts back to Chrysamon, unconscious and badly scuffed up. There are sirens wailing a short distance away as fire trucks pull up at the edge of the field. Poppy is aware long enough to notice a fireman rushing to her side and barking orders to his men before she too loses consciousness, her fingers tightening around her Digivice.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art of Papillomon: https://imgur.com/a/YILWX


	10. Trigger Happy

[Tuesday morning; Gayle is rushing onto campus, the first bell only a few minutes away. To her surprise, a bunch of students are eerily quiet and exchanging hushed whispers. Curious, Gayle leaned against a nearby wall and secretly listened in to a nearby conversation.]

Girl1: ...Oh my God, they said she looked like...like...totally crisped all over!

Girl2: And nobody knows why she was in the fire?

Girl2: N-no...they just found her lying there with a weird stuffed animal! The weird thing? The stuffed animal was only a little burnt while she was burnt to shit!

Gayle: [clears her throat and gives a small wave] Hi, um, excuse me. Can I ask what you’re talking about?

Girl1: There was a huge fire in the field after school yesterday, and they found Poppy Jones lying unconscious right next to it with this weird stuffed worm thing!

Girl2: Apparently she was really badly burnt...and the scary thing is...nobody knows why she was out there to begin with!

Gayle: I feel like I’ve seen that name somewhere before…

Girl1: Sports section of the school paper, probably. She’s, like, one of the stars of our track team. Err...she was. She’s probably gonna be out for the rest of the season with how jacked up she got from the fire. They have her in the hospital right now.

[the bell rings, and the color drains somewhat from Gayle’s face]

Gayle, Ay, the bell! Thanks for the info...gotta go!

[Gayle starts running down the pavement to her class and the two girls shrug before going their own way.]

 

[several hours have passed. Gayle is almost asleep in her English class before lunch. This is before lockdown sirens start blaring around the school. She sits bolt upright at her desk with a gasp as her teacher locks the door.]

Gayle: Wha-!

Teacher: The district has declared a lockdown. Everybody remain calm.

Student in back: Why are we in a lockdown?!

Teacher: I’m not authorized to disclose why, currently. All I can say is that this is _not_ a drill.

[several students begin to panic as the teacher attempts to calm them down. Gayle follows instructions to go against the far wall, and pulls her knees to her chest with a shudder.]

Panicking girl: Oh my God, are those _gunshots_ down the hall-?

Teacher: Shhh! Part of lockdown procedure is to remain si-

Panicking boy: I’m pretty sure lockdown procedures mean jack shit to an _active fucking shooter-_

[the teacher attempts to restore some sense of calm before the door to the classroom starts getting riddled with bullets. Gayle swallows hard as several other students let out panicked screams. In moments, the door has been busted down to reveal what seemed to be a giant black and tan bunny wearing jeans and an ammo belt with Gatling guns for hands. He grinned wickedly as he clicked his mechanical fingers and the barrels of his guns whirled, reloading.]

???: I know you’re in there, Tamer! Come out, come out, wherever you are!

[Gayle’s Digivice vibrates in her hoodie pocket as several students scream and rush past her, trying to shove past the Digimon in the doorway to get past him. He sniffs at them as they run past, then seems distinctly uninterested. Gayle shakily pulls out her Digivice and reads the Digiradar results to herself as if they will help her.]

Gayle: B-BlackGargomon, Virus-type, Animal Digimon, Ch-champion level...oh no…

[she watches him click his fingers and point an arm at the remaining students tauntingly, then swallows hard]

Gayle: Special attacks...Gargo Pellets and Bunny Pummel….

BlackGargomon: I’ll give you kiddies till the count of three, and then I’m blasting you all! Fork over the Tamer!

Terrified boy: What the fuck is a Tamer?!

BlackGargomon: [grimacing] A human who has managed to tame a Digimon. I smell a Digimon on one of you, so reveal yourself! One…

Gayle: [whispering to herself] Change won’t happen till I make it…

BlackGargomon: [clicking his fingers, aiming his arms at the students, and narrowing his eyes] Two…

Gayle: THREE! [with reckless abandon she runs forward and punches BlackGargomon in the face before she can talk herself out of it. The Digimon staggers back out of the doorway, and she tackles him to the ground to get him out of the way. Immediately a stampede of panicked students rushes out of the classroom behind her as she grapples with her surprised enemy, adrenaline surging through her.]

Gayle: [slamming her fist into BlackGargomon’s nose] DON’T DRAG INNOCENT PEOPLE INTO YOUR DIGITAL WORLD STUFF! Why do you want me so badly anyway? I’m not even a Digimon!

BlackGargomon: [sneering] If we take you out, your Digimon will revert to their proper strength. You’ve mutated them somehow!

Gayle: I did no such thing! And…

[BlackGargomon’s phrasing makes her realize something]

Gayle: Wait, there are other Digimon Tamers?!

BlackGargomon: BUNNY PUMMEL!! [he brings down one of his gun arms on Gayle’s head full force, making her see stars for several moments. This is long enough for BlackGargomon to pick Gayle up, throw her over his shoulder, and start running from the campus. The human police are too late to catch him.]

 

[a distance from the school, in an unruly backyard, a dozing Digimon’s fluffy, ragged ears stand bolt upright. She senses a disturbance.]

Poxmon: Gayle?

[She immediately stands up and starts running down the street in bold daylight. Luckily for her, most people are at work…]

 

Gayle: Ay, put me down, you ugly rabbit! [she starts to struggle, then sags in his grip somewhat as a wave of dizziness hits her from her concussion]

BlackGargomon: No can do, kiddie! Though, tell you what: If you and your Digimon turn to our side, I won’t kill you two!

Gayle: Urgh...like I’d make Poxmon fight for a brute like you…

BlackGargomon: [his eyes widen, and then he grins] Ohohohohohho….. _You’re_ the one who tamed the Hazard! Even _better!_

Gayle: She’s not “the Hazard!” She’s my best friend, Poxmon!

BlackGargomon: You don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into with the Hazard, do you! [chuckles loudly]

Gayle: I got myself...a friend…

BlackGargomon: Gag. [he stops running once he reaches a nearby park. He dumps Gayle on the ground with no regard for her concussion. Then she groans loudly.]

BlackGargomon: Last offer! Join the right side or die! [he presses one of his arms against her head, grinning wickedly]

Poxmon: **_NO._ **

BlackGargomon: [he looks up at a nearby small hill, to see Poxmon at the top. As usual, her mask betrays nothing, but she is breathing heavily and her ears are pressed far forward, one flicking incessantly.] Speaking of the Hazard! Here she is, in the flesh! What an honor! I’ll offer you the same choice as your Tamer...join us or die.

Poxmon: I propose a third option... _You_ die. [tail lashes]

BlackGargomon: [clicking his fingers, lip curling] Very well. Gargo Pellets!! [the arm pointed at Gayle begins to whir to life...and the instant before it shoots, Poxmon jumps between Gayle and the gun, forcing herself into the space between. Poxmon collapses on top of Gayle with a groan, riddled with bullets. An acid green substance is seeping through her fur as Gayle manages to sit up, cradling her partner in one arm.]

Gayle: Poxmon? _Poxmon?_ Speak to me!!

Poxmon: [quietly] Hold your breath.

Gayle: B-but- [Poxmon tilts her head meaningfully at her, and she reluctantly obeys, taking a deep breath and holding it]

Poxmon: Miasma!! [with a pained grunt, she raises her fur and arches her back, filling the air with her noxious dandruff. BlackGargomon takes a few steps back, coughing in disgust. Poxmon flicks her bushy tail rapidly a few times to clear the air immediately around Gayle so she can breathe again. That done, she begins to slump in Gayle’s arms, a few pixels fragmenting off of her pelt.]

Gayle: _POXMON!_ This isn’t f-funny! Talk to me!

Poxmon: It is best for you to...ngh...retreat now, while the enemy is distracted.

Gayle: [sobbing] You and I both know I’m not doing that, amiga…

BlackGargomon: GAG! Shut up already! Bunny Pummel!! [he rushes forward and without further ado knocks Gayle out cold with a hard blow to the head. She immediately slumps over Poxmon’s damp body. Poxmon flattens her ears, trembling.]

Poxmon: _GAYLE!_

BlackGargomon: I gave the kiddie her options...and she picked wrong. Tsk, tsk. [He spins the barrels on his arms with a few finger clicks, reloading. Before he can aim his arm at Poxmon and Gayle, however, a wild growl fills the air, originating from deep within Poxmon’s battered body. BlackGargomon takes a few steps back, alarmed.]

Poxmon: You will **_PAY FOR THAT._ ** [She continues growling, the eyes of her mask vacant as the Digital Hazard on her chest pulses very weakly with green light a single time. The Digivice in Gayle’s pocket begins to vibrate violently and then begins to pulse with energy. Poxmon leaps out of her unconscious Tamer’s arms with renewed vigor, fully alert.]

 

**DIGIVOLUTION_**

 

Poxmon: Poxmon Digivolve to…

[a ball of green light swallows Poxmon before rapidly expanding as her data reconfigures inside of it. When it finally burst, a Digimon the size of a large horse emerged, wheezing loudly inside her gas mask.]

???: SMOGMON!

[Smogmon tilts her head as she stares vacantly at BlackGargomon for a moment, nothing but her strained wheezing filling the silent air. She stood on eerily long legs for her body, which matched her eerily long neck. Her tail had thinned out, and small horns sprouted between her ears. She now wore a metal collar that showed her slow heartbeat. She now bore matching Digital Hazards on her deep chest and gas mask. Gayle began to stir with a loud groan, and pulled out her vibrating Digivice, trying to focus her eyes to read the Digiradar.]

Gayle: ngh...Smogmon...Virus-type, Mammal Digimon….Champion level...with Fumigate, Infestation, and Burning Slash…

BlackGargomon: So it’s true. You freaks can Digivolve. I heard rumors from the last mission, but…

Smogmon: Shut. Up. Fumigate!! [she coughs violently, and clouds of toxic gas are expelled from the vents of her mask. BlackGargomon back up in a panic, flailing his arms as the dull haze fills the air. Gayle begins to cough as well, and Smogmon hesitantly ceases her attack at the sound, flicking her tail back and forth to clear the air behind her.]

BlackGargomon: [wheezing] Augh, what the hell-

Smogmon: [a dangerous malevolent grin in her voice] You don’t listen to directions, do you?

BlackGargomon: Oh, cra-

Smogmon: BURNING SLASH!! [the claws on one foreleg light up with radiation, and she rakes them across BlackGargomon’s stomach violently. He sputters as he glances down at the glowing gashes in his body, his body flickering as he began succumbing to various poisons]

Smogmon: [wheezy laugh, tilting her head to the side again with another unnerving stare] Bye, bye, bunny!

BlackGargomon: [coughing and gagging] Just finish it already! Please!

Smogmon: [another wheezy laugh] No, you get to suffer for hurting Gayle. Have fun! [she crouches down low, looking at Gayle pointedly until Gayle weakly climbs onto her back and wraps her arms loosely around her neck]

BlackGargomon: [grimacing in pain as a sickly green glow overtakes his form, his body flickering rapidly now] P-please-

Smogmon: [she lets out a loud cackle, then begins bounding away, following the backstreets she took here to get Gayle home. The house should still be empty, so she could tend to Gayle without raising a fuss…]

[BlackGargomon collapses to his knees with a final agonized noise and breaks into data...except the data immediately deletes itself upon fragmentation.]

 

[Smogmon nudges the back door of the house open, squeezing herself into the house and lowering Gayle onto a couch before letting out a final wheeze and reverting to Poxmon.]

Gayle: [weakly, reaching out to stroke Poxmon’s head as she stands deathly still, apparently thinking hard about something] M-muchas gracias, mi amiga.

Poxmon: [almost inaudible] That can’t happen again.

Gayle: Wh-what? But you saved me!

Poxmon: No. I almost lost control. {she turns her back rapidly, lashing her tail and twitching her ears.] You cannot let me Digivolve again.

Gayle: Wh….what? But what if more Champion Digimon come? They might kill you! That c-can’t happen!

Poxmon: [after a very long, tense silence with her ears twitching] ...Do not let me Digivolve again unless it is a dire emergency. You have to promise me this, Gayle.

Gayle: I-

Poxmon: _PROMISE ME!_

Gayle: Woahhh….o-okay. I promise. You won’t Digivolve unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Poxmon: ...Thank you. Now rest. You need it to recover. Your brother should be home in a few hours.

[With that, Poxmon turned and sprinted into the backyard before Gayle could say anything else to her. With a groan she laid her head back into a pillow and shut her eyes against her throbbing headache.]

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art of Smogmon: https://imgur.com/a/Wi2AX


	11. Cats and Dogs

[Wednesday morning. The Damerons are out working in the office yet again, and Mark and Maumon are sitting on the couch together, watching the news with rapt attention.]

Anchor: Due to a recent string of disasters at Mayfield Public High School, the remainder of schools in the district have shut down until further notice until prospects of safety for their students are more secure.

Mark: Even my school, Maumon. It’s technically not part of the district!

Maumon: Shhhh, the news human is still talking!

Anchor: On Monday an as-of-yet unknown arsonist allegedly set fire to the Physical Education field at the school. No evidence leading to a perpetrator has been found, leading some to suspect that the only victim of the fire, sixteen-year-old track team member Poppy Jones, may have been the mysterious arsonist. Jones was hospitalized with second-degree burns over much of her body, but has been able to return home. Updates as they come.

[while the story of the arsonist had been going, the screen was showing a picture of the scene from overhead, showing a small and somewhat blurred figure that must have been Poppy Jones lying in the charred grass, with something bright green lying next to her. Maumon had stared intently at the photo while it was onscreen, and as it vanished he suddenly sat bolt upright.]

Maumon: Mark! Can you rewind it?

Mark: Uh, sure...was something interesting there?

Maumon: Yes! Now rewind it! [flicks tail impatiently]

Mark: [quirking an eyebrow, he nods and rewinds the footage, pausing on the photo so Maumon can squint at it more] So, what do you see, buddy?

Maumon: [he gasps and points at the TV with his paw] That’s _her!_ I’m sure of it!

Mark: ...who?

Maumon: _Chrysamon!_ Holy shit, she isn’t dead yet!

Mark: ...Holy shit. We know where one of your friends is, if we can get ahold of Poppy’s address! Ah, crap, it’d look weird if I just showed up at her door with my cat. Weirdo alert.

Maumon: ...Perhaps. But also! That looks like a Digimon attack! And, loathe as I am to say it...if Chrysamon is partners with a human and is still alive, it stands to reason that she’s stronger than when we left. Whatever she was fighting there...I bet it was another Champion Digimon.

Mark: Oh, Geez, those Dark Army jerks are sending Champions out on a regular basis now?!

Maumon: [voice grave] They are determined to wipe me and any allies that I might have out.

Mark: B-but...at least we know where your bodyguard is?

Maumon: [grumble] Yes, we do. Assuming that was Chrysamon. It was hard to tell with the crappy picture quality.

Mark: But you were- ugh, nevermind. [he shakes his head and hits the play button again. The footage replays for a few seconds, then moves on to the next tale of misfortune at Mayfield]

Anchor: Yesterday, an active shooter forced the school into lockdown. Allegedly the shooter was wearing some kind of rabbit mascot costume and had Gatling guns in his possession. He broke down the door of a third period English classroom, and threatened the class until a heroic student, fifteen-year-old Gayle Santoro, began to grapple with the shooter so her classmates could escape unharmed. When authorities arrived on the scene, the shooter had fled with Santoro as his captive. However, Santoro was at home when her family came home from work, and her only injury was a severe concussion. When asked for details of her return, Santoro claimed to have memory loss concerning the event. The shooter is still at large.

[Mark pauses the TV again, this time on a photograph of Gayle, then turns to look at Maumon]

Mark: You think this Gayle chick found Poxmon? I mean...a rabbit with Gatling guns certainly sounds crazy enough to be some kind of Digimon!

Maumon: Yes...it’s entirely possible that she became Poxmon’s partner. Of _course_ Poxmon would take pity on a human that looks that scared in a neutral photograph.

Mark: ...Well, I guess that settles it. We know where to start looking for your friends now.

Maumon: …

Mark: ...Oh, come on, Maumon. We’ve been over this. Your mission will be better with teammates to help you! And, heh, I could certainly use some human friends who know about Digimon too.

Maumon: Am I not enough for you?

Mark: No...just...you’re kind of an _alien,_ even if you’re my best friend. It’d be nice to have some human hands on deck too, y’know? I bet you miss talking to other Digimon, even if you won’t admit it!

Maumon: ...I do admit that human conversation gets a little inane sometimes.

Mark: Not enough fighting for ya?

Maumon: Hmph.

[there is a thud outside]

Mark: Why is someone knocking over our trash out front?

Maumon: [ears flattening] You should know by now, Mark.

Mark: [groan] At least this isn’t an attack at a public school…[he jogs to the front door, but before he opens it he checks his now-vibrating Digivice]

Maumon: So, whose ass are we kicking today?

Mark: Looks like...Dobermon, Virus-Type, Demon Beast Digimon, Champion Level. Its special attacks are...uh...something in German. Eh, regardless...looks like they really are sending Champions on a regular basis now. Great.

Maumon: [steeling himself] We can take this asshole.

Mark: _Language,_ Maumon. And don’t push yourself too hard, okay?

[there’s another loud thud of another trash can falling over, and Mark opens the door. Maumon rushes out without hesitation, head lowered aggressively]

Maumon: Torrent Shot!! [he aims his jet of water directly at what appears to be a mutated Doberman pinscher, the size of a pony with spikes all over its body and several pairs of red eyes]

Dobermon: Augh! So I have drawn you out of hiding, cowardly Prince. Will you now face your destiny with honor?

Maumon: Yeah, by kicking your ass! Torrent Shot!! [the jet hits Dobermon dead on again, but she merely shakes the water off and glares down at Maumon]

Dobermon: Is that the best you can do? Pitiful. I bet you’ve been surviving on luck alone, all this time. Rest assured I’m here to put an end to that. Grau Lärm!! [Dobermon lets out an eerie howl, and Maumon immediately winces, pressing his ears flat against his head. He staggers for a moment, then straightens]

Maumon: What was that? That barely hurt! Torrent Shot!! [he calls the attack and opens his mouth, then his eyes widen as no water comes out]

Dobermon: I believe you will find that attack hurt you more than you know. Schwartz Strahl!! [she opens her mouth and a black beam shoots out. Maumon just barely dodges it; it impacts with some plants behind him and they immediately shrivel and die.]

Mark: Woah! Maumon, you can’t let that hit you!

Maumon: Uh, wasn’t planning on it! Torrent Shot!! [he tries his attack again, and once again fails to execute it] What the hell gives?!

Dobermon: I have sealed away your special attacks for this battle. Schwartz Strahl!! [she fires another beam, and Maumon just barely dodges it again. However, it grazes the tip of his tail and it immediately begins to fragment into data. Maumon’s eyes widen in horror.]

Mark: DIGI-MODIFY! SPEED ACTIVATE!

Dobermon: Schwartz Strahl!! [she fires again, but Maumon cleanly dodges this time, although his tail is continuing to break down]

Maumon: TORRENT SHOT!! [yet again, his attack fails] ARGH!!

Dobermon: Do not delay the inevitable, Prince. It will be less painful for you that way. [she fires off several more beams, but Maumon dodges each one, although he is beginning to quickly tire.]

Mark: [nibbling his lip] Digi-Modify! Stamina activate!

[Maumon immediately begins to regain his speed in dodging...until the speed boost wears off. He still can’t use his special attacks.]

Maumon: WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!

Dobermon: I have told you. I sealed away your powers. Just bow and accept your fate already. Resistance is futile.

Maumon: Princes don’t bow.

Dobermon: You foolish whelp. Schwartz Strahl!! [she fires off a final beam, and this time it clips Maumon’s leg directly. He cries out, collapsing on the front walkway, his entire leg immediately beginning to fragment while he grimaces in pain. Dobermon advances on him, charging a finishing blow in her mouth]

Mark: DON’T YOU DARE! [he rushes forward and scoops Maumon into his arms, turning and running before Schwartz Strahl can hit him. He stumbles and lands in a planter at the side of the yard, clutching his partner tightly with his face curled in a snarl]

Dobermon: Oh, you’re _both_ stubborn and foolish. What a shame. This could have been quick and painless for you both.

Mark: W-we’re partners! We can’t give up on each other! Not ever!

Maumon: [hissed through his teeth, still grimacing in pain] I’ll never surrender to a bitch like you.

Dobermon: [curling her lip in a disgusted snarl at the insult] Begone! SCHWARTZ STRAHL!! [she aims the beam directly at the both of them. It pierces through Maumon and hits Mark in the chest. Maumon’s entire body starts flickering and fragmenting, and Mark falls backward, unable to draw any air into his lungs due to the shock to his system.]

Maumon: [distorted as he struggles to hold together] M-maAaark. StstsTaY with mE!

Mark: [finally getting his breath back for a second, merely lets out an agonized whine before running out of air again.]

Maumon: DdddDon’t dddDdi-i-i-ie… [a second one of his limbs fragments off entirely. His collar starts slipping through his body as it falls apart.]

Mark: [tears in his eyes from pain] M-Maumon…

Maumon: [tears flicking in and out of existence in his eyes] NnnnN-no...NO!

[at Maumon’s distressed cry, Mark’s Digivice begins to shudder, and then pulse with energy. The idle screen gets stars in its eyes as what’s left of Maumon pulls back together and lifts his head, alert.]

 

**DIGIVOLUTION_**

 

Maumon: Maumon Digivolve to…

[a ball of blue light envelops Maumon, and expands as his data reconfigures, his skin peeling away and reappearing. When the ball bursts, standing in Maumon’s place is light blue cat slightly bigger than Dobermon, his claws long and sharp and his whiskers twitching in rage. He is still wearing the bell collar.]

???: VAPORMON!!

Dobermon: No! Impossible!

Vapormon: You’re going _down,_ bitch! Deluge!! [he opens his mouth and a very large volume of water shoots out under high pressure, sending Dobermon flying backwards with a pained cry.]

Mark: [regaining his breath and beginning to recover from Dobermon’s attack, looks at his vibrating Digivice.] Vapormon, Vaccine-type, Rare Animal Digimon, Champion level...his special attacks are Deluge and-

Vapormon: Vaporize!! [he dissolves into a faintly visible vapor cloud, then runs through Doberman much more quickly than he can normally move. Dobermon lets out a scream as steam starts rising all over her body, her skin suffering steam burns. Vapormon re-solidifies behind her, snarling]

Vapormon: DELUGE!! [he turns and hits her with a final attack, and she collapses under the force. Succumbing to exhaustion and burns, she fragments into data with a final pathetic whine, and Vapormon loads the data with a swish of his tail, chest puffed out in grim satisfaction]

Mark: You...you did it...you Digivolved…

Vapormon: [walking over to Mark, he lowers his head to touch his hair with his nose] ...With your aid, partner.

Mark: ...Hehe, was that a thank you…?

Vapormon: [mumbling, pulling his head back upright a bit too quickly] Maybe.

Mark: [struggling to his feet, he throws his arms around Vapormon’s neck before he can object] You’re welcome, you big dumb cat.

[Vapormon seems to contemplate pulling away before resting his head on Mark’s shoulder, shutting his eyes and releasing a faint purr. A moment later, he reverts to Maumon in a flash of blue light, cradled in Mark’s arms.]

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art of Vapormon: https://imgur.com/a/Bmcnj  
> (excuse the poor formatting on the Digivolution sequence, it was my first time drawing something like that and it's p old lol)


	12. Aftermath

[Tuesday evening. A silver car pulls up in front of a modest suburban home, and a tearful mother get out and goes around to the other side of the car, opening the door]

Ms. Jones: Here, sweetie, let me-

Poppy: [standing up slowly, she gets out of the car with a pained grunt] It’s fine, Mom. I can walk, I promise.

Ms. Jones: A-are you sure, sweetie? I don’t want you to overwork yourse-

Poppy: I’m fine, Mom. I can walk to the house. [small smile] 

Ms. Jones: Well, if you insist...at least take my arm, Poppy. [it is clear that the woman is holding back tears, gazing upon her daughter. Poppy is wrapped in several bandages on all of her limbs, and while she is loosely draped in a blanket for modesty she is only wearing underwear underneath, to prevent friction on her skin.]

Poppy: [adjusting her blanket, she loops an arm through her mother’s with a slight wince] Okay, Mom. Lead the way.

[mother and daughter walk up to the front door, and Ms. Jones helps Poppy inside and to her bedroom. Once Poppy walks inside, her face falls.]

Ms. Jones: What is it, sweetie?

Poppy: [under her breath, glancing desperately at the pile of stuffed animals on her bed] Chrysamon?

Ms. Jones: ...What was that?

Poppy: I...uh...what did you do with my caterpillar toy?

Ms. Jones: Oh! The toy! D-don’t worry, sweetie...I’ll be right back! [she offers a small smile, then retreats down the hall. Poppy swallows hard and waits until her mother reappears a couple minutes later]

Ms. Jones: It was rather burnt from the fires, but...the firemen, bless their hearts, held on to it and gave it to me after things had settled down a bit. [she holds out Chrysamon, who still looks a little scorched and to her credit is very good at holding a glassy eyed stare like an actual toy. Poppy gently takes Chrysamon in her arms before squeezing her partner to her chest, warmth flooding through her.]

Poppy: I...I’m so glad you found her.

Ms. Jones: Yes, well...the main thing is that we found  _ you, _ sweetie. Though, I  _ am _ curious...why did you go running towards the fire in the middle of practice with that toy?

Poppy: I...uh...um…

Ms. Jones: [sigh] I was hoping you had a good reason, dear. The police have pulled me aside and asked if you’ve ever had any...pyromaniac tendencies in the past.

Poppy: [blanching] O-oh. That’s…

Ms. Jones: I told them absolutely not! You’re not a pyromaniac! [she sounds very distressed]

Poppy: I...Mom, if I told you the  _ truth, _ you’d never believe me.

Ms. Jones: Poppy...I’ve been your age before too, once. I’ll listen to everything you have to tell me.

Poppy: [clutches Chrysamon even tighter to her chest, swallowing hard] It...it has e-everything to do with my caterpillar.

Ms. Jones: [slowly] That’s...that’s very nice, dear.

Poppy: [lowly] I knew you wouldn’t believe me. I’ve barely started explaining and you already think I’m going crazy, Mom!

Ms. Jones: [deep breath to steady herself] No, I don’t. Please...continue…

Poppy: [swallowing again, then licking her dry lips] My caterpillar has a name. Chrysamon. And she’s not actually a stuffed animal. She’s alive.

Ms. Jones: I’m sure she is…

Poppy: I’m not crazy! Chrysamon, you can move now. You have to move now.

[Chrysamon inhales deeply before arching her back in a stretch in Poppy’s arms. She wriggles her entire body out with a few soft moans and winces, then relaxes in Poppy’s arms again before fixing Ms. Jones in an alert gaze. Ms. Jones flinches.]

Chrysamon: Hello. It’s nice to be with Poppy again. Thank you!

Ms. Jones: [jaw dropping] Wh-wha…?

Poppy: Mom, Chrysamon. Chrysamon, Mom. Chrysamon is, uh, what’s called a Digimon. They’re these weird creatures that talk, and they come from another world! I ended up taking Chrysamon in because she was lost and scared, and uh…

Chrysamon: Your daughter is very kind. She’s a true friend. She’s been helping me fight off bad Digimon, and I protect her in turn.

Ms. Jones: Digi...wha... _ fighting?! _

Chrysamon: [solemn nod] Trust me, I hate fighting. But fight I must, and Poppy helps me get stronger. Trust me when I say that I’d sooner die than stand by and watch her get hurt.

Ms. Jones: So she...fights  _ monsters _ with a monster of her own? [her voice is shaky]

Poppy: ...Something like that, yes. I can tell you really don’t like that idea, so let me put it this way: The arsonist yesterday was a Digimon, and a really powerful one, too! If I hadn’t been there with Chrysamon, the firefighters would’ve been under attack by a bad Digimon when they got there, and more than just that part of the field would have been on fire. And the whole city would be panicking about monsters running amok! [she waves her arms for dramatic effect and then winces, lowering them again]

Ms. Jones: You think you’re the only one who can fight these...these Digimon? I’m sure the military could!

Poppy: [shaking her head] Once knowledge about the Digimon gets around, people would panic super bad. You’ve only ever seen one friendly Digimon, Mom. If you have seen  _ half _ the crap I have, you would understand why Digimon stuff needs to stay secret for as long as possible.

Chrysamon: Also...I’m sort of on a mission. There’s two other friendly Digimon in the city I’m trying to find...and they’ll help me find something here on Earth that will hopefully calm the storm in the Digital World! Once that’s done, Earth should be safe too…

Ms. Jones: ...So you’ve roped my daughter into a mission for another world?! [her voice is suddenly rising, and chrysamon flinches back, her eyes wide]

Chrysamon: N-no, of course not! I told her to run from the first Digimon that came after me, b-but she insisted on staying and helping me fight! A-and then a Digivice appeared, bonding us together as p-partners…

Poppy: [quickly] Yeah! The little toy thing that you noticed looked like Chrysamon! You held on to that, right?

Ms. Jones: [slowly] Yes...I left it in the other room. Do you really need it right this instant?

Poppy: No...but it’s very important! It links me and chrysamon to each other...our bond lets her grow stronger in fights so she can win! It even let her Digivolve into a stronger form in our last fight!

Ms. Jones: The arsonist…

Poppy: Yes! I thought Chrysamon was a goner, so I fought the asshole myself for a minute...and then I guess something triggered Digivolution and she Digivolved to Papillomon and kicked his ass!!

Chrysamon: [softly] I thought Meramon was about to kill you, and every bit of my data was screaming at me to stop him.

Ms. Jones: YOU FOUGHT A DIGIMON?!

Poppy: Yeeeeaaah...not my smartest move. That’s where most of the burns are from. Meramon was literally  _ on fire. _

Ms. Jones: [quietly] This Digimon nonsense is clearly  _ very _ dangerous.

Poppy: Papillomon saved my _ life, _ Mom. After she loaded Meramon’s data she actually hauled me out of the ring of fire, to where the firefighters found me. If it weren’t for her, I would’ve been dead by the time they found me, probably!

Ms. Jones: It seems to be that if it weren’t for this bug, you wouldn’t have been in danger in the first place!

Chrysamon: I’m s-sor-

Poppy: Chrysamon, don’t apologize. Mom, I think all the Digimon attacks would be happening regardless of whether I was partners with Chrysamon or not. Hell, she...who knows what would happen if she hadn’t lasted this long? From what she’s been saying, the Digital World might go belly up real fast and then Earth might go with it because of some weird parallel universe junk! For all we know, I’m helping Chrysamon save two worlds at once!

Ms. Jones: Poppy-

Poppy: [raising her voice] Do you want, like, giant flaming men cooking you on a spit in the backyard? Because I get the feeling that’s what’ll eventually happen if you take Chrysamon away from me!! [Chrysamon squeaks as Poppy presses her close to her chest protectively with far more force than intended]

Ms. Jones: [sigh] I can’t stop you from getting involved in this, can I?

Poppy: No.

Ms. Jones: [massaging her temples, getting up to walk out of the room, muttering to herself] I need a drink…

Poppy: [eyes widening as her mother leaves, catching her last words] Wait, Mom-!

Chrysamon: [sigh] Leave her be, Poppy. I’m sure she’s just very worried about you. [she turns in Poppy’s arms, giving her partner a worried look] Are you going to be okay? That was a heavy confession to make.

Poppy: I...I honestly don’t know, little bug. I’m not sure if Mom actually prefers the version of the story where I’m a pyromaniac.

Chrysamon: [tucking her head gently under Poppy’s chin] I’m sure she’ll come around, once she processes the information a bit more. She’s right about it being dangerous, of course...but there’s really a lot at stake, and I think once she truly realizes that, she’ll come around.

Poppy: ...You sure?

Chrysamon: Well...n-no...but I certainly  _ hope _ so.

[Poppy lets out a long, weary sigh, then leans back with Chrysamon cradled tenderly in her arms]

Poppy: ...I missed you, little bug.

Chrysamon: [nuzzling Poppy’s neck] I missed you too, my friend.

  
  
  


[Meanwhile, several neighborhoods away, in a house on a run down street, a man in his very late teens is carrying a glass of water into a bedroom decorated with a few rock band posters, where Gayle is lying in bed, staring at the ceiling]

???: Ay, hermana, I brought you your water.

Gayle: [snapping back to reality and turning to give her brother a weary but thankful smile] Muchas gracias, Miguel. [she reaches for the glass of water he offers, and takes a small sip.]

Miguel: How’re you doin’, Gayle? [he kneels down by the bed, gently running a hand through her hair]

Gayle: My head’s still killing me, but I’m fine otherwise. Like I was five minutes ago. [there’s a bit of a teasing tone in her voice in her last sentence, and her smile quirks up a little more] I think you’re worrying too much.

Miguel: Ha, if you think  _ I’m _ worried, just wait till  _ Mamá _ gets wind of what happened.

Gayle: [her face falls]  _ Ay. _

Miguel: Well, thankfully since you’re such a nice little sister, I’ll field her a bit for you, give you a bit more quiet time to recuperate. [he winks at her, and she laughs a little before putting a hand to her head and wincing]

Miguel: Ay, that looks bad. Are you sure you don’t need anything else right now?

Gayle: [forcing a smile] Nah, I figure I might as well just relax before Mamá storms in and coats me in VapoRub.

Miguel: Eh, yeah, she’ll have you covered. [he forces a laugh before sitting on the edge of Gayle’s bed] Seriously, hermana, is everything okay? That call from the school was scary stuff. You were missing to them...is it true that you were kidnapped by an  _ active shooter? _

Gayle: [looking thoughtful for a moment] I...I don’t remember, to tell you the truth. I remember that something totally  _ crazy _ was goin’ down, and I know something hit me in the head real hard...and then I’d walked myself home, I think. Sorry, I’m not much help. [she offers her brother another weary smile, and her ruffles her hair in response]

Miguel: Nah...you’ve just been through a lot, I get it. You just rest up now, ‘kay? I’ll try and soothe Mamá’s nerves when she gets home. [he bends over and kisses her forehead lightly, then stands up]

Gayle: Gracias, Miguel. Eres el mejor.

Miguel: [walking out] De nada, hermana, de nada.

[the room empty, Gayle takes a moment to breathe and pull out her Digivice, giving it a long look and sighing. The face on the idle screen looks somewhere between stressed and sad.]

Gayle: ...Y muchas gracias a ti, amiga. [she gently presses the top of the Digivice to her lips for a moment, shutting her eyes.]

  
  


[On the other side of the city, a man in a black suit hurries into a government building, even though it is getting dark. He unlocks the door, then walks in and enters the elevator. He turns the key in a slot on the elevator, and it lowers into the building’s hidden lower floors. He walks out of the elevator, and motion sensors make the lights come on around him. There’s computer monitors everywhere, currently idling. He walks deeper in, to a door leading to a small room with even more computers, all operating at peak activity while a frazzled man races between them, sipping coffee.]

Suit: Crossway. Status.  _ Now. _

Crossway: [slamming his coffee down on the nearest mousepad] I-I’ve been working nonstop the past three days, sir. This is not easy wor-

Suit: Crossway, cut the bullshit.

Crossway: Erm, of course, Hendricks. Progress has been slower than anticipated, but still steady.

Hendricks: Good. Speed it up.

Crossway: [sputtering] B-but I can’t! Not without more resources, at the very least!

Hendricks: Then specify what additional resources you require in a status report and the agency will see to it that you have what you need.

Crossway: ...Seriously?

Hendricks: Do not doubt the urgency of the situation, Crossway. These monsters that keep emerging are getting more dangerous. We have to accelerate our timetable for Operation: Firewall.

Crossway: [saluting and nearly knocking over his coffee] Yes, sir. I’ll begin that report posthaste.

Hendricks: [turning to walk out] See that you do, Crossway.


	13. Reunion, Part 1

[Wednesday evening; Mark is grabbing the ringing phone]

Mrs. Dameron: Hello, Mark?

Mark: Hi, Mom. How’s work?

Mrs. Dameron: That’s why I’m calling. Your father and I will be stuck here late again, unfortunately. Feel free to order in a pizza or something; we’ll have to miss dinner.

Mark: [feigning unhappiness] Aw, that’s too bad...hope the rest of the night goes smoothly for you!

Mrs. Dameron: Thanks, honey. See you later. Be good. [she hangs up]

Mark: [turning back to the kitchen table, which has several phonebooks for different neighborhoods open] Good news, buddy! My parents won’t be home for several more hours, at least!

Maumon: Don’t you usually sulk when they give you phone calls like that?

Mark: Well, yes, but...this time it’s good because it means they won’t walk in on our research.

Maumon: Ah, well. While you were on the phone, I think I’ve managed to find the Poppy girl’s address.

Mark: [grinning] Great work, Maumon! Write it- oh, wait, you don’t have thumbs. Here, I’ll come over and jot it down, just point it out to me.

Maumon: [rolling his eyes and pointing to a tiny line of text] Make up your mind, am I a cat to you or not?

Mark: Neither! You’re my Digimon partner! [he uncaps his pen and starts scrawling the address on a sticky note]

Maumon: [swelling slightly with pride] Well, good to know you’re giving me the proper acknowledgement.

Mark: My parents still think you’re my cat though, don’t let your head get too big. [he gently flicks the water drop on Maumon’s forehead and his ears flatten indignantly] 

[suddenly the TV in the other room, playing the news, lights up with a special report.]

Anchor: Breaking news: There is an emergency downtown in the Mayfield Marketplace. The marketplace is under siege by several insect-shaped drones armed with Gatling guns. The motive is currently unknown, but the MPD has the marketplace currently on lockdown while they attempt to deal with the drones. Access to the marketplace is restricted, but we have managed to get some aerial shots of the drones. [the screen cuts to blurry aerial photos, which depict several yellow and green drones flying above the mall...insect shaped with brown wings and Gatling turrets on their abdomens. There are at least four of them in the shot]

Mark: [dropping his pen] Holy fuck.

Maumon: [bristling as he runs and stares at the TV] Mark, those are Digimon, no doubt about it!

Mark: Why on Earth are they attacking innocent people this time?! So many of them, too…

Maumon: Beats me, but we need to move. It’s only a matter of time before they start hunting me down, and I’d rather come to the fight on my own terms!

Mark: R-right. Let me pull on my shoes and, uh...how the hell are we supposed to get over there, anyway?!

Maumon: [glancing back toward Mark] You mentioned that you have a driver’s permit?

Mark: Yeah, but- Oh hell no. I can’t drive yet!

Maumon: How’re you gonna  _ learn _ if you never  _ drive? _ [walks over to Mark’s leg and rubs himself against it]

Mark: Ugh, I hate it when you have a point.

Maumon: Grab your keys and get learning, Mark! [bounds toward the door, his collar ringing]

[Mark sighs and runs his hand down his face before grabbing his shoes and running after Maumon]

  
  


[Poppy is pacing the kitchen, glancing at the phone]

Chrysamon: Poppy, you really should be resting-

Poppy: She said she’d be home, like, an hour ago! She was just buying groceries at a store in the marketplace because, like, they have organic shit or something...but if she was delayed, she’d call!!

Chrysamon: Maybe her phone died?

Poppy: ...Then I’d think she’d find a wall phone or something. She wouldn’t leave me hanging, especially not when I’m recovering from shit!

[Chrysamon’s antennae droop, then shoot back up as the TV show Poppy had left on was interrupted by a breaking news report. It is the same report that had been on Mark’s TV. Chrysamon gasps in horror as it pans to the aerial shot. One of the Digimon is firing upon a shop that matches the store Poppy had described to her earlier when Ms. Jones had left.]

Chrysamon: Poppy! I think I know why your mother hasn’t returned! [begins nibbling her lip in worry]

[Poppy barges into the living room, then her jaw drops as she takes in the shot before the TV goes back to the show she was watching]

Poppy: Mom…

[there’s tense silence for a moment as Poppy reaches for the remote and turns the TV off, her eyes huge. Chrysamon turns and gives her a meaningful look.]

Poppy: Chrysamon...I’m gonna go get dressed, and then you’re gonna ride on my shoulders while I run the fuck to the marketplace.

[Chrysamon nods seriously, and Poppy jogs off to her room to get dressed.]

  
  


[Gayle is home alone once again while her mother and brother are off working. She is sprawled on the couch, listening to rock music on the radio, when the broadcast is suddenly interrupted by a breaking news report. Her eyes widen when she hears where the emergency lockdown is taking place, and gasps her brother’s name. She immediately turns the radio off and runs outside into the backyard, a hand going to her throbbing head.]

Gayle: POXMON! WHERE ARE YOU?!

Poxmon: [rising out of a cluster of weeds, shaking small dead leaves off of her back] I am always here, Gayle. You seem distressed.

Gayle: My brother’s in the middle of an emergency at the marketplace! He’s still on duty!

Poxmon: That is unfortunate. What do you know of the situation?

Gayle: That there’s weird drone things flying over the marketplace, and that they’re apparently shaped like bugs and have guns like BlackGargomon I think-

Poxmon: [tail lashing] Digimon. We must leave at once to go save your brother.

Gayle: O-okay. How are we gonna get there, though…?

Poxmon: There is a bus station a block away, and if we start running now, we can make it there as the next bus gets in.

Gayle: ...How-?

Poxmon: -do I know that? I’ve been wandering your neighborhood in our downtime, and I have sharp hearing. No time to delay, Gayle. We must leave  _ immediately. _

Gayle: Okay. Lead the way, amiga.

[Poxmon begins rushing through the weeds around the house, Gayle running close behind.]

  
  


[Maumon flinches as Mark just barely survives running another red light. They are only one intersection away from the police blockade]

Maumon: You’re gonna get us killed before we get there!

Mark: You’re the one who insisted I drive!

Maumon: That was before I knew how much you sucked at it!!

Mark: I fucking warned you! [he turns back to the road and screams, turning his wheel to sharply turn and avoid the blockade. Thankfully the police are too occupied with the insectoid Digimon shooting at them from above to notice his horrible driving and he manages to park at the side of the road without too much incident, though two of his wheels are on the curb.]

Maumon: Oh, thank the Light you’ve finally parked…

Mark: [yanking the keys out and kicking the driver’s door open] Shut up and get ready to fight, Maumon! I kinda wanna survive this until when my parents kill me for taking this on a joyride!

Maumon: You said this was your car!!

Mark: Yeah, it will be my car when I have a fuckin license!

[Boy and Digimon both scream when bullets rain down at Mark’s feet. An armored bug with a Gatling gun on its abdomen snarls at them, red eyes glowering. Mark’s Digivice vibrates in his pocket, and he pulls it out and reads it desperately as Marmon jumps out of the car and blasts the Digimon away with Torrent Shot]

Mark: It’s a swarm of Mothmon! Data-type, Insectoid Digimon, Champion level! Watch out for their Multiple Blaster and Poison Dust attacks!

Mothmon: Multiple Blaster!! [it aims its gun directly at Maumon and starts firing. Maumon barely dodges.]

Maumon: Noted. A little help? TORRENT SHOT!! [he blasts the Mothmon again, but it seems to be able to brace itself this time]

Mark: [nods] Right! Digi-Modify! Speed activate!

[Maumon speeds up, dodging more effectively now between blasts of Torrent Shot. Mothmon is beginning to evade the attacks, however.]

Mothmon: Is that the best you can do, Prince? Poison Dust!! [he flaps his wings, scattering dust through the air. Maumon suddenly wheezes and his limbs lock up, his eyes widening in horror.]

Maumon: MARK! I CAN’T MOVE!!

Mark: DIGI-MODIFY! STAMINA ACTIVATE!

Mothmon: Multiple Blaster!! [he aims and fires, but the Stamina boost helps Maumon survive the direct barrage. When Mothmon stops to reload, however, Maumon is starting to flicker.]

Mark: Maumon, NO!

 

[Poppy arrives at a barricade, hands on her knees for a moment. Her eyes widen, however, when she sees a jet of water smack into one of the Mothmon on another side of the barricade, the source unseen]

Poppy: Is that another…

Chrysamon: [eyes huge, breath catching, antennae shooting straight up]  _ MAUMON! _

Poppy: Oh shit! [she immediately begins running along the barricade, ducking to dodge some Multiple Blaster bullets, until she hears a cry of Poison Dust!! from up above. She can’t breathe and stops in her tracks, but Chrysamon jumps off her shoulder and stands on her back legs, looking alert just in front of the corner. Poppy’s Digivice is pulsing.]

 

**DIGIVOLUTION_**

 

Chrysamon: Chrysamon Digivolve to…

[there is a ball of pink light enveloping her before it bursts to reveal…]

Papillomon: [fluttering up into the air, her fists raised] PAPILLOMON!!

[Mothmon turns, distracted by the noise, only for his eyes to widen in shock as a new Digimon rushes him.]

Papillomon: BUTTERPUNCH!! [she slams her four fists into the Mothmon in rapid succession, sending him staggering backwards in the air. Papillomon draws back from the blow to rest for a moment, landing directly in front of Maumon. She turns to glance over her shoulder and smile at him.]

Papillomon: Have no fear! Your knight has arrived! [winks before taking off to attack Mothmon again] ButterPunch!! [she unleashes another barrage on Mothmon, and with a groan he fragments into data. She lands and draws it into her body with a sharp inhale, loading it.]

Maumon: [staring with wide eyes and his mouth agape, even as the Poison Dust began to wear off]  _ Woah… _

Papillomon: Don’t sit there and stare in awe yet! There’s still plenty of Mothmon we have to fight! [she glares at the sky as about six more Mothmon turn and fly towards them, readying their blasters]

Maumon: [shaking his head and flattening his ears] Right! Come fight us, you stupid bugs! [pause] No offense…

Papillomon: ...Ha, I knew you were yelling at  _ them. _ Now let’s do this! [raises her fists]

Poppy: [finally catching up, still coughing a little] Be careful, Papillo-OH! [her eyes widen as she notices Mark and Maumon]

Mark: Y-you must be Poppy Jones, the girl from the-

Poppy: Fire? Yeah, news travels. I take it your cat is Maumon? My Digimon won’t shut up about him!

Mark: [grimace] 

Poppy: What?

Mark: Maumon talks a lot about Chrysamon too...not very nice things.

Poppy: [brows furrowing] He sounds like a punk.

[Mark gives her an apologetic shrug, until a stream of bullets shoots right between them, grazing Mark a little. They’d been too distracted to notice that the battle had started raging.]

Maumon: MARK!! YOU  _ FUCKERS _ GET AWAY FROM HIM!!

[Mark staggers backwards, clutching at a bleeding graze on his arm, as his Digivice begins to pulse in his pocket. Maumon ceases his running, muscles tensing and tail lashing.]

 

**DIGIVOLUTION_**

 

Maumon: Maumon Digivolve to…

[a ball of blue light swallowed him briefly, before bursting to reveal…]

Vapormon: VAPORMON!! [he lets out an infuriated roar before turning and opening his jaws at the Mothmon that attacked Mark.] DELUGE!! [The Mothmon is knocked back and out of the air by the sheer volume of water, and fragments into data upon impact with the ground. Vapormon barely pauses long enough to load the data before jumping back into the fray.]

Poppy: Oh, holy shit, you’re bleeding-

Mark: [through grit teeth] I’m fine. Let’s worry about the Digimon right now…

Poppy: [grabs his arm and starts dragging him behind his car] I think the Digimon have it handled for now. You’re fucking  _ bleeding. _

Mark: [sigh] Okay, but if I hear Vapormon getting in trouble out there, there’s nothing you can do to hold me here.

Poppy: [wry smile] Trust me, I get it. I’d do the same for Papillomon. But till then, we’re staying right here and out of the way of stray bullets.

[they hear sudden footsteps pounding down the sidewalk a short distance away, and they both turn and see a girl in a black hoodie and a long gray skirt running toward them, a bus station behind her. Running at her side is what is undoubtedly Poxmon, her tail lashing.]

Mark: And that...ngh...must be Gayle Santoro, the girl who got kidnapped by a shooter!

Poppy: You’re a huge news nut, aren’t you?

Mark: [shrug] It seemed like Digimon stuff!

Poppy: ...Yeah, it was.

[they both turn and watch the newcomer again ad she stops, breathing heavily, with her Digimon running up ahead to join Vapormon and Papillomon in the fray. Only three Mothmon remain now, but the two Champions are beginning to look tired. Poxmon, however, is fresh and ready to fight.]

Poxmon: ROT CLAW!! [she leaps up and rakes her infected claws across the face of a low-flying Mothmon. The Mothmon hisses in pain and flies back up out of reach, only to fly directly into a Flying Kick from Papillomon. It fragments and Papillomon and Poxmon both load some of the data.]

Gayle: [she notices the two teens cowering behind the car, then glances between them and the fight before her face brightens with a nervous smile] Ay, you must be the other Digimon Tamers that that stupid rabbit was talking about!

Mark: Mark and Poppy, and yes. That must be Poxmon out there.

Gayle: [nod] Yes.

Poppy: Hold up, the Digimon that attacked you mentioned us? And called us Digimon Tamers?

Gayle: [rapid nod} Yes. He said that the Dark Army was gonna start focusing on us Tamers too so our Digimon will be weakened. That’s why BlackGargomon came to school and shot up my classroom.

Poppy: ...and why Meramon set fire to the field to draw me out.

Mark: A Dobermon showed up at my house this morning to attack me and Vapormon...though I’m not certain she wanted me specifically…

Poppy: And now they’re attacking a public space. Probably to lure all of us out.

Mark: Well, I’m certain that was a mistake, because they led us all together!

Gayle: [worrying her lip] There’s strength in numbers, right?

 

Poxmon: MIASMA!! [she arches her back and raises her fur, scattering her dandruff in the air. The two remaining Mothmon desperately try to beat it away with their wings.]

Vapormon: DELUGE!! [she unleashes a water blast on the Mothmon, and with their wings soaked they fall like screaming rocks]

Papillomon: BUTTERPUNCH!! [she unleashes her fists on the hapless, gagging Mothmon, and with final screams they fragment into data. She lands and the three remaining Digimon split the data evenly.]

Poxmon: Hm. You two have certainly gotten stronger since last we met.

Vapormon: Yeah, ‘cuz we’ve been busy kicking ass ever since we’ve gotten here!

Papillomon: I’ve been training really hard with my human partner. [grins and flexes all four of her arms, feathery antennae quivering]

Vapormon: [glancing away a bit quickly] Yeah, that. What about you, Poxmon? Can you Digivolve yet? You have a human partner, right?

Poxmon: ...Yes, but I prefer to conserve my energy for dire emergencies. You two had a firm handle on the situation. My arrival merely sped up the turning of the tides.

Vapormon: Was that... _ praise? _

Poxmon: Mmm, maybe it was.

Vapormon: Holy shit. Stop the presses. Poxmon just  _ freely praised us. _

Papillomon: [small laugh, her face flushing slightly] Thanks, P-Poxmon. That means a lot from you…

Poxmon: Hm.

[then in twin flashes of pink and blue, Papillomon and Vapormon revert to Chrysamon and Maumon. The Tamers rush out of hiding.]

Poppy: Chrysamon, that was fucking amazing!

[Chrysamon only blushes more, antennae curling]

Mark: Good job, Maumon!

[Maumon puffs his chest out, still pointedly keeping kis gaze averted from Chrysamon for some odd reason.]

Gayle: Well fought, amiga.

[Poxmon hums again, though she lifts her tail and perks her ears.]

Mark: Now...uh...what say we get in my car and drive off before the police start investigating this mess?

Poppy: You’re kidding. You have a license and a car.

Mark: [rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, wincing as the motion hurts his arm] Well, just a learner’s permit…

Chrysamon: [quietly, coming up behind the group] I say we do it. I don’t want you to exhaust yourself, Poppy.

Poppy: Ugh, fine, but if you crash and kill us [glaring at Mark], I’m  _ double _ killing you in the afterlife.

Mark: [swallows hard]

Gayle: I’d like to check on Miguel, but...eh...it’s probably for the best he doesn’t know I was here.

Poxmon: Most likely, yes. I second Chrysamon’s vote. 

Mark: This...this works. My parents shouldn’t be home yet, so we can recuperate a bit and catch up and then...I dunno, I guess I can drive you all home? I kinda...went looking for your addresses.

Poppy: What?!

Maumon: [huff] Don’t get your panties in a twist. It was partly my idea...I figured I’d find Poxmon and Chrysamon where their partners lived. And I was  _ right, _ wasn’t I?

Poppy: Ugh, I’ve talked to you for two seconds and you already sound like a punk.

Maumon: What did I even do to you, lady?

Mark: Guys, guys! Squish into my car  _ now, _ start bickering later!

[with a few disgruntled noises, the Tamers and their Digimon stuff themselves into Mark’s car before he haphazardly begins the drive back to his house.]

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art of Papillomon coming to the rescue: https://imgur.com/a/1dgq9


	14. Reunion, Part 2

[Wednesday night. A somewhat beaten up black sedan pulls up in Mark’s driveway, and immediately two frazzled teenage girls pile out of the back seat, with Poppy clinging to Chrysamon and Poxmon climbing out after them, tail swaying]

Poppy: I know we were in a rush, but how come the  _ cat _ got shotgun?

Maumon: [hopping out the same door as Mark] Because  _ I’m _ Mark’s partner, not you!

Mark: Guys, can you cool your jets for like two seconds? We need to get inside and discuss some important stuff, I think.

Maumon: Hmph. [he turns away from Poppy and trots primly after Mark as he unlocks the front door.]

Chrysamon: [whispering to Poppy] Please do try to get along with Maumon! We’re going to have to be a team now!

Poppy: [whispering back, brows furrowed] Yeah, well, Mark says that the cat’s been talking crap about you this entire time. I don’t see a need to be nice to him.

Chrysamon: [antennae drooping] O-oh...right.

Poppy: Has Maumon  _ always _ treated you like shit?! Why I oughta-

Gayle: [gently nudges Poppy on her way past, into the doorway] Now’s probably not the time to gossip with your Digimon.

[the girls walk into the house together with Digimon to see Mark haphazardly swatting phone books off of the table before pulling out chairs. The girls exchange a look.]

Mark: Take a seat, ladies! You need any, uh, snacks or anything?

Poppy: I’m goo-

Chrysamon: ...Um, actually, I’m a little hungry after the fight…

Mark: Ah, right. I’ll uh...go order pizza! I have permission to do that! [he scurries off to go grab the phone]

[Poppy turns and plants her hands on her hips, fixing Maumon in a glare]

Maumon: Seriously, the fuck did I do?

Poppy: I’ve heard that you’ve been talking shit about my partner.

Maumon: [flattening his ears] Well...it was kind of insulting to have her assigned as my bodyguard!

Poppy: I think you’ll also find my fist insulting to your face if you don’t stop-

Chrysamon: [dismayed]  _ Poppy!  _ I have to politely ask you to not punch the Prince in the face!!

Poppy: Fine. You get a break, cat. But only because my partner asked nicely. Stop fucking talking shit about her.

[Maumon begins grumbling as Mark walks back in, looking satisfied]

Mark: Pizza should be here in a little bit. I ordered a large pepperoni. That okay with everyone?

[the group collectively nods, except for Poxmon]

Poxmon: I’ll refrain, thank you.

Gayle: Are you sure, Poxmon?

Poxmon: I am certain. I did not expend as much energy as Maumon and Chrysamon in the fight, as I did not Digivolve.

Gayle: All right, amiga. Though, now that I think about it... _ do _ you even eat? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do it before!

Poxmon: I do, but I prefer not to have an audience. [she flicks an ear, and Gayle takes it as her signal to not press the topic.]

Maumon: [jumping up on the table, tail lashing] Anyway, to the topic at hand: Now that we’ve all reunited, we need to discuss how we will proceed on our mission to find the Key.

Poxmon: Might I recommend first establishing a base of operations before we get too deep into this discussion?

Mark: I mean...my parents are, like, never home these days, so I think my house works pretty well. You all have ways of getting over here, right? I’m not exactly a legal driver.

Gayle: ...There’s a bus stop near my house, and I think there’s one not far from this neighborhood.

Poppy: There was a bus stop near the marketplace that Gayle showed up at, so I could probably take that…

Mark: Okay, good, I don’t need to drive. And we can probably ride the bus to wherever we’re looking for this Key…

Poppy: Mark already passes Maumon off as his cat, and I can carry Chrysamon in a backpack...what about you, Gayle?

Gayle: [tucking some hair behind her ear] Well, uh, I said Poxmon was a giant stuffed animal that I was bringing to a friend. I think the mask really helped her pretend to be a doll!

Maumon: Glad we have that settled. So are we doing search patrols or what?

Poxmon: That’s a logical way to go about this until we have more information about the Key. We can take turns combing the city for clues.

Poppy: Wait...you don’t know anything about the Key you’re looking for?!

Chrysamon: [apologetically] Our Seer told us everything she was told. All we know about the Key is that it is somewhere on Earth, and that it originates from the Digital World somehow.

Poppy: Urgh, that could be  _ anything. _

Chrysamon: On the bright side...it’s so important that I think we’ll know what it is when we find it. After all, it’s originally from the Digital World, so it doesn’t belong on Earth anyway!

Gayle: So...we’re gonna wander the city looking for something that is unearthly?

Poxmon: In short, yes.

Maumon: It’s gonna be a pain in the ass but the Key will turn the tide in the Digital World!

Poppy: So...you guys wanna elaborate on why exactly this is so urgent? Chrysamon’s told me a bit about the Dark Army, but she’s apparently kind of a new recruit, so…

Poxmon: They wish to take over Codex Mountain and the Crypts within in order to Digivolve to Mega freely and rule the Digital World with iron fists.

[Maumon is oddly silent, his ears drawn back and his eyes narrowed]

Mark: [gently] Maumon, you okay, buddy?

Maumon: They loaded my parents. They’re the reason I’m the last Dragon. They have to  _ pay. _

Poxmon: The actions of the Dark Army have already destabilized the Digital World, opening portals to Earth sporadically. They’re the reason we got here, and the reason the Dark Army can come after us, but they’re a symptom of the Digital World beginning to fall apart.

Poppy: Yeah...Chrysamon mentioned the Digital World falling apart. Isn’t that, like, super bad for Earth too?

Poxmon: [nodding] Yes. The worlds are connected intimately. It is surely only a matter of time before the sickness of the Digital World begins to damage Earth as well.

Gayle: There’s a lot at stake for  _ both _ of our worlds in this battle. We gotta find that Key for Earth’s sake, too.

[the doorbell rings, and Mark scrambles to pull out his wallet for a moment before running to answer the door and pay for the pizza.]

Poppy: Dang. You guys are on a heavy mission. No wonder you were so stressed out when I found you, little bug.

Chrysamon: Thankfully, you found me, and now we’re partners. I don’t know what I’d do without you! [she turns and nuzzles Poppy’s cheek from her shoulder perch, and Poppy giggles]

Poxmon: Finding our Tamers was a most fortuitous turn of events, especially because all three of us found partners. We’re much stronger as a team because of it.

Maumon: Mmm. My Tamer is kind of a dolt, but he does a good job helping me out in battle.

Poppy: Do you have anything good to say about anybody? Ever?

Poxmon: [sounding somewhat amused] He actually  _ was _ speaking highly of Mark, in his own way.

Poppy: Huh. Guess you’re my official Maumon translator now. 

Gayle: [giggle] Poxmon’s really handy like that.

Poxmon: [flicking an ear and lowering her head slightly] I am merely doing my job, keeping everyone informed.

Chrysamon: [steeling herself] And I’m gonna do my job of protecting the Prince from now on! I’ve been training!

Maumon: [he glances at Chrysamon briefly, then turns away.] Hmmm. So you have.

[Mark comes back carrying the pizza box, and lays it out on the table, throwing the lid back.]

Mark: Everyone help yourselves! Pizza’s on me.

Poppy: Thanks, Mark. [she lifts Chrysamon off of her shoulders and lowers her down onto the table]

Chrysamon: Thank you! [she immediately starts nibbling on the crust of a slice]

Gayle: Gracias.

Poxmon: So, Tamers, how are we arranging our patrol schedule?

Mark: Uh...well...We don’t really have any school till further notice, so I think we can maybe all go on a patrol together tomorrow afternoon or something, get used to each other when we’re actually on duty. Then we can work out something more complex.

Gayle: That sounds like a good plan, lets us figure out how to avoid alerting our parents as well.

Poppy: [rubbing the back of her head] Err...actually...my mom knows about Digimon.

Mark: What?

Poppy: I ended up telling her about Chrysamon and the Digimon we were fighting because uh...otherwise, she’d think I was a potential pyro like the police did. There wasn’t really another way out of that one.

Mark: ...How’d she take it?

Poppy: Uh...the instant I finished, she went and had a stiff drink. And while I was telling the story I had to argue real hard to convince her the Digimon stuff was kinda my duty.

Mark: Ouch. 

Poppy: She...she’s getting over it, though. I think especially so after tonight. She was in the marketplace buying groceries when the Mothmon attacked. The news keeps saying they were weird drones, but my mom will probably be able to guess they were Digimon. And I think she’ll know who took them down.

Gayle: Ay...if I ever told Mamá about the Digimon stuff, she’d die of a heart attack on the spo…[she suddenly freezes, then starts pulling at her hair in alarm]

Poppy: Uh, Gayle? You okay, girl?

Gayle: Mamá is gonna  _ kill me!! _

Maumon: Why would your mother kill you? That’s…

Gayle: No, I’m supposed to be lying on the couch and recuperating from my concussion! She’s probably already panicking from the Mothmon thing, with Miguel working there...but she’s probably home by now and I’m not there, with no leave or anything!

Poppy: Run! Isn’t the bus station, like, a block away?

Gayle: Yes, but-

Poxmon: The bus doesn’t run this late.

Mark: Maybe I can-

Poxmon: [ears perking] There’s a car pulling into the driveway.

Mark:  _ Shiiiit. _ Uh, pretend like I invited you over here for a sleepover!

Poppy: But-

Mark: [through his teeth as there’s a key in the door] That means your parents dropped you off here and I definitely  _ wasn’t driving without a license. _ Got it?

Gayle: [nibbling her lip] I don’t like this-

Mrs. Dameron: [opening the door] Mark, honey, we’re ho-oh! [she glances around, taking in the kids and their Digimon. Chrysamon and Poxmon have hastily begun doing their best impressions of inanimate toys.]

Mr. Dameron: What’s all this about, son?

Mark: I, uh, got lonely, so I called up some friends for an impromptu sleepover! Since school is, uh, cancelled and stuff.

Mrs. Dameron: Oh, are they friends from school?

Mark: [quickly] Yes! I just haven’t invited them over yet, but uh...I figured now would be a good time?

Poppy: [quiet groan, till Mark elbows her in the side and grins pointedly at her]

Mrs. Dameron: Oh, honey, I’m so glad you’ve made some friends. I’ll go make sure the guest bedroom is ready for you ladies! [hurries upstairs]

Mr. Dameron: You kids be good. I have homework I need to go finish up in my office. Even adults get stuck with it! [exaggerated sigh and wink at Mark. Mark groans a little as his dad leaves to go to his study.]

Gayle: [after Mr. Dameron is gone] Mamá is  _ so _ gonna kill me. I have  _ no _ explanation for why I left besides  _ Digimon, _ and I  _ can’t _ possibly tell her that! [she pulls at her hair and groans in dismay]

Poppy: I mean...if it gives you any hope, I did tell my mother about Digimon after being hospitalized for a day, and she took it decently well, all things considered! 

Gayle: Yes, but, eh...you’ve never had to deal with an upset Mexican mother, have you?

Poppy: ...Mm, I guess not.

Poxmon: Perhaps you could call your brother. You seem to have a strong camaraderie with him.

Gayle: Hm...maybe he can dilute Mamá’s wrath a little. It’s worth a try. Thanks, amiga. 

Mark: [pulling a wireless receiver out of its charging dock] You wanna borrow my phone?

Gayle: Yes! Thank you, Mark! [she takes the phone and walks into the other room to call Miguel]

Poppy: Sooo...I take it you’re not gonna try to tell your parents about Digimon?

Mark: Nah...not for now...There’s no real reason to, when Maumon blends in perfectly as a regular housecat. I might tell them someday but...not yet.

Maumon: They suspect nothing.

Poppy: Fair enough…

Chrysamon: At least Maumon’s disguise lets him move freely. I get real stiff pretending to be a stuffed animal!

Poppy: [affectionately] You do a real good job of it, though.

[Mrs. Dameron comes back downstairs, smiling jovially]

Mrs. Dameron: You ladies should be all set! There’s a guest bed and an air mattress; I’ll let you work out who wants what among yourselves. [pause] Wait, where’d your other friend get off to, Mark?

Mark: She’s, uh, taking an important call in the other room.

Mrs. Dameron: Well, tell her I said hi. Oh! I never got introduced!

Mark: Mom, this is Poppy.

Mrs. Dameron: [looking more closely at her] Oh, sweetie, you look burnt! Are you feeling all right?

Poppy: I had an accident, but...it’s getting proper treatment and I should be fine. Thanks for your concern, though.

Mark: And my friend in the other room is Gayle. She worries a lot but she’s nice.

Mrs. Dameron: I’m so glad you’ve managed to make friends with such lovely ladies, sweetie. Apologies to Gayle, but I need to go upstairs to bed now. I’m pooped! [she yawns, then waves and turns to go back upstairs. Chrysamon and Poxmon immediately start shaking themselves out.]

Poppy: Hm, yeah...I’m not sure her delicate mom heart could take the shock of Digimon.

Mark: [throwing her a hard elbow] Hey! Don’t make fun of my mom!

Poppy: Just stating facts, my guy.

[Gayle walks back into the room, looking frazzled, and hands the phone back to Mark]

Mark: Sooo...how’d it go?

Gayle: ...Miguel’s gonna do what he can. I told him I got bored and went to a sleepover with some new friends of mine. He said there’s no guarantees…

Poppy: Good luck, girl.

Poxmon: It is for the best that I remain a secret in the Santoro household, anyway. The backyard offers adequate camouflage. 

Mark: Well, it’s getting sort of late now...and I imagine you guys wanna be up early tomorrow morning to get home ASAP, so I suggest we all try to go to bed now.

Poppy: Solid plan, leader.

Mark: Wait, why am I the leader?!

Poppy: [shrug] Your Digimon is the Prince of the Digital World or something, and your house is gonna be our meeting spot...that makes you a sort of leader, the way I see it.

Gayle: [quietly] I’d be a terrible leader, anyway.

Mark: Don’t you want the leader role, Poppy? You’re really confident and, like, a star athlete, right?

Poppy: [grimacing]  _ Was _ a star athlete. I’m gonna be benched for a while because of Meramon. But also...confidence does not a leader make on its own. You’ve kinda been lowkey taking charge of this shitshow since we met.

Mark: I have?

Maumon: Yes, you dolt. I guess my skills have been rubbing off on you.

Poxmon: I’d rather hope that it was the other way around.

Maumon: Oh, stuff it. We’ve been back together less than a day and you’re already riding my tail again.

Chrysamon: Oh, p-please don’t start bickering again.

Poxmon: I am not bickering. Maumon is choosing to take my commentary as an invitation to be a hostile brat.

Mark: Maumon, shut up.

Maumon: [flattens his ears] Ugh, you people are no fun.

Chrysamon: [softly] Your Highness, please...we only just reunited, I don’t want you to start turning us all away again…

Maumon: [he silently glances over at Chrysamon, then lets out a small sigh] Then Poxmon needs to stop insulting every other sentence out of my mouth.

Poxmon: I will when you learn to actually take criticism and improve yourself.

Mark: Maumon may be a total jerk, but he’s less of a jerk than when i first found him, trust me. Now seriously, let’s all go to bed before our Digimon start infighting!

Poppy: Sounds good to me. [she scoops up Chrysamon without further ado and marches herself upstairs.]

Gayle: [yawn] That’s not a bad idea. Vamos, Poxmon. You need to rest after that fight.

Poxmon: Some sleep would be beneficial, yes. [she trots after her Tamer up the stairs, tail swaying back and forth]

Mark: [glancing at Maumon] So, you have anything else you need to get out of your system before we go to bed?

Maumon: [huff] I’m fine.

Mark: [picking Maumon] Alrighty then. Up we go, bud.

[Maumon looks disgruntled about being carried like a housecat, but this time he doesn’t actively protest it and gets carried up to Mark’s room in silence.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Illustrations for previous chapters: https://imgur.com/a/bypvm


	15. Poison Control

[Thursday morning. Poppy stretches, yawns, then winces a bit. Chrysamon is curled up in the crook of her arm and smiling gently at her.]

Chrysamon: Good morning, Poppy! Did you sleep well?

Poppy: Mmmm...yeah. Did you?

Chrysamon: Well, to be honest...I did have a bit of a nightmare…

Poppy: [pressing her forehead to Chrysamon’s] I’m sorry to hear that. Let’s have a good day today and see if that helps, okay?

Chrysamon: [small nod] Okay.

[on the other side of the guest bed, Gayle groans and sits up, smacking her lips a little. She brushes a bit of her bedhead out of her eyes and glances over at Poxmon who is curled up on the floor, breathing slowly.]

Gayle: Heh...hehehe...I don’t think I’ve ever seen you asleep before, amiga!

Poxmon: [jolting a bit as her ears perk up, she speaks groggily] Wh-wha…?

Gayle: [covering her grin with her hand] Hehehehehe….nothing!

Poxmon: [slowly getting up and stretching like a cat, swishing her fluffy tail over her back] Mmmm. We should probably make ourselves presentable and go downstairs to begin the day’s business.

Chrysamon: [nodding] Mhm! And get breakfast! I’m starving!

Poppy: I second the breakfast motion. [she swings her legs out of bed, going to get the brush that Mrs. Dameron loaned her]

 

[about ten minutes later, the two girls carry their Digimon down the stairs, looking both ways for any sign of adults. Mark, already sitting at the table with a few plates of pancakes, gives them a thumbs up. Gayle sets Poxmon down and Chrysamon crawls onto Poppy’s shoulders.]

Mark: Good morning, ladies! Care for some pancakes?

Poppy: Holy crap, do I! [she rushes to the table and practically throws herself into her chair. She begins cramming her face full of food, and Chrysamon crawls onto the table and also shoves her face into Poppy’s stack of pancakes. Mark watches with a bemused expression]

Mark: Guess athletes really do have big appetites.

Poppy: [through a mouthful of food] Hey! Running burns a lot of calories! A girl’s gotta fuel herself!

Maumon: [sounding mildly disgusted, looking up from his bowl of Kitty Bitz] Apparently.

Gayle: [settling into her own seat daintily] Want anything, Poxmon?

Poxmon: No thank you.

Gayle: But...you didn’t eat anything last night! You gotta eat, amiga!

Poxmon: [flatly] I’m not hungry.

Gayle: Liiiies! Would you feel better if I like, brought a plate to the other room and we all promised not to come in there till you say you’re done? It’s because you have to take off your mask, isn’t it.

[Gayle stares Poxmon down, with Poxmon not moving or speaking. Gayle sighs and grabs an empty plate, splitting her own stack in half.]

Gayle: Vamos, amiga. To the other room with you! You’re having breakfast and you will like it!

[Poxmon lets out a quiet sigh but follows Gayle into the other room. Gayle comes back alone and empty handed a minute later.]

Mark: Okay, so...first order of-

Maumon: [standing up as tall as he can manage from his seat on the tabletop] We have to get out there after breakfast and start patrolling! We never know when we’ll find the Key!

Mark: Hey, asshole, I was talking!

Maumon: You were taking too long. I’m not exactly on a leisure mission!

Poppy: Uh, I think you mean “we.”

Maumon: We’re not on a leisure mission, whatever.

Chrysamon: So...we’re all going together this time, right?

Mark: Should be, assuming Poxmon eats her pancakes. I don’t think Gayle’s letting her leave till she does! [laughs]

Gayle: You laugh, but I’m not even sure how often she eats! Besides, what if a rogue Digimon attacks us? If she goes in on a totally empty stomach she won’t have the strength to fight!

Mark: Okay, that’s true. It’s still kinda funny though...from what I can tell, Poxmon is usually the mom friend in your relationship!

Gayle: [looking a little flustered] I am not a mom friend!

Poppy: [swallowing a mouthful of pancake before pushing away her empty plate] Guys, focus. We’re getting ready for our first mission as a full team, here. What are our goals for patrol today?

Maumon: Find the damn Key, duh.

Mark: Uhhh...if any rogue Digimon appear, defeat them before they can hurt innocent people.

Chrysamon: [quietly] Learn to work as a t-team.

Poppy: Okay, good agenda. Now, where do you guys wanna go for this first patrol?

Gayle: Uh...maybe check out the area around the shopping mall again? The Mothmon attacked it completely unprovoked, so it might be a target for future attacks?

Maumon: That’s not a bad idea. They might have purposely attacked a populated place to lure you guys out of hiding. I’m not sure if I’d try the same failed tactic in a row twice, but some soldiers of the Dark Army are fuckin’ morons, I swear…

Mark: Language, Maumon.

Maumon: Stop being a baby! I’m just stating facts, Crypts!

Poppy: Aaaaanyway….Once y’all finish your pancakes and Poxmon comes back from her personal breakfast palace, we should go to the bus stop and get this show on the road. Might as well be timely about our first day on the job, eh?

Maumon: [giving Poppy thoughtful side eye] You have a better worth ethic than some of the palace servants I had in the Digital World, human.

Poppy: EXCUSE ME. Did you just call me your servant?!

Maumon: I was trying to say something nice about you, you ungrateful-

Chrysamon: [raising her voice and shocking both Poppy and Maumon] STOP FIGHTING!

[There’s stunned silence for a moment as the feuding parties turn to look at her in shock. Chrysamon wilts under their gazes and curls up, pressing herself against the table]

Chrysamon: [barely audible] H-hi.

[Everyone finishes up their food in relative silence for several minutes, idling until Poxmon walks back to the table.]

Poxmon: I am finished eating my breakfast now. As Gayle likes to say...Vamos. 

 

[brief montage of the Tamers carrying their Digimon down to the bus stop and riding the bus. They get off near the shopping mall. They walk towards it and as it comes into view it becomes clear that it is officially a crime scene under investigation. In daylight it’s easy to see that the buildings are riddled with bullet damage from the Mothmon.]

Mark: ...Yikes.

Gayle: On the bright side...I don’t think anyone got seriously hurt? We showed up just in time last night, I think! I mean, I know Miguel got out safe because I was able to call him last night…

Poppy: Mom called me last night when we were getting ready for bed. She’s safe too...and now she seems to buy my Digimon stuff, based on the way she was freaking out over the Mothmon. She was like, “Were you the one who got rid of those monsters?!” and I was like “Yup, Chrysamon whooped their sorry gun-butts.”

Chrysamon: [perched on Poppy’s shoulders, she gives a small smile, antennae curling.] J-just doing my job.

Mark: I suggest moving away from the designated crime scene for now? I don’t want the police squinting too hard at our Digimon, you feel?

Gayle: Si. Let’s go, ah…. [she spins around slowly, then points a finger off to the left where she stops] Thattaway!

Maumon: Great, we have a direction, now let’s goooo!

[The Tamers and their Digimon walk down the relatively empty sidewalk together, keeping an eye out for anything unusual. It is uneventful aside from some small talk and the occasional need to get Maumon and Poppy to stop talking to each other. Eventually, however…]

Poxmon: [ears twitching] In the alley across the street. I hear something large moving.

[they walk until they are directly across the street from the alley. It is absolutely covered in spiderwebs, and an unfortunate stray cat has been snared in the threads and meows in distress upon seeing the Tamers.]

Gayle: [under her breath] Dios mio.

Poppy: Okay, an ungodly big spiderweb just screams “rogue Digimon” in my experience. [she turns to look at Mark, and see that he’s already sprinting across the street toward the cat] MARK! The hell are you doing!

Mark: Saving the poor cat! Maumon, attack the spiderweb!

Maumon: Quiet ordering me to do tricks like some kind of pet! [he turned to glare at Mark for a split second, then narrows his eyes at the strands near the cat.] Torrent Shot!!

[the jet of water severs some of the silk, and the cat drops into Mark’s outstretched arms. It yowls as he proceeds to untangle the silk clinging to its body, and it sprints out of his grip the instant it is able. Mark lets out a sigh of relief.]

Mark: Glad you’re safe, kitty…

???: POISON THREAD!! [silk threads shoot out of the darkness and ensnare Mark. He lets out a cry as he is trapped by the sticky webbing, lashed to the nearest building wall.]

???: Ugh, and that creature looked like such a tasty morsel too...but I think you’ll be a fine replacement snack, whelp! [with a malevolent laugh, a gigantic hairy spider with a horned yellow face crawls out of the darkness, perched high in her tangled web.]

Gayle: [reading from her Digiradar as she and Poppy run across the street] That’s Dokugumon, Virus-type, Insectoid Digimon, Champion level. We gotta watch out for her Poison Cobweb and Poison Thread attacks!

Poxmon: Noted. Our first obstacle will be getting up there to attack her in her web.

Chrysamon: O-on it.

Maumon: LET GO OF MY TAMER, YOU UGLY BUG!

[Poppy and Mark’s Digivices begin to vibrate, the faces on their idle screens displaying star eyes before reading…]

 

**DIGIVOLUTION_**

 

[in balls of pink and blue light respectively, the Digimon grown and change before the balls burst to reveal their new forms.]

Chrysamon Digivolve to...PAPILLOMON!!

Maumon Digivolve to...VAPORMON!!

Vapormon: Vaporize!! [his body dissolves into a cloud of steam, and he rapidly begins jumping up the web, his burning hot paws beginning to dissolve the silk at a touch. He throws himself of Dokugumon as the move wears off and she begins screaming from steam burns]

Papillon: [flying up to Dokugumon’s level, eyes narrowed] If you’re so hungry, why don’t you try a knuckle sandwich? ButterPunch!! [she unleashes a barrage of punches on Dokugumon’s face and the spider hissed in pain, kicking the now-solid Vapormon off of her with a battlecry.]

Papillomon: Vapormon! [she turns and swoops down, throwing herself under Vapormon. Unfortunately he is too big for her to try to carry so she settles for breaking his fall instead. Both Digimon cry out upon landing on the concrete.]

Dokugumon: Ha! You’re merely unruly prey walking directly into my web. Poison Thread!! [she turns and shoots webbing at the downed Digimon, pinning them to the ground under a glob of stuff. Only Vapormon’s head is visible anymore.]

Poppy: Oh no oh no oh no...Papillomon!! [she fiddles with her Digivice, looking alarmed]

Poppy: Digi-Modify! Stamina activate!

[a fist bursts out of the silk under Vapormon, before the first turns and tears open a bigger hole, allowing Papillomon to poke her head out. She already looks worn down.]

Vapormon: Papillomon. Are you all right?

Papillomon: [groan] I’ve been better. Ooooh...my head…

Vapormon: You do know that was a really stupid move, right? I was gonna fall down either way!

Papillomon: [mumble] Thought I’d try and break your fall...I’m your bodyguard, after all…

Vapormon: As your liege I order you to never fucking do that again.

Papillomon: Mm...you’re gonna make it tough to do my job…

Dokugumon: I hate to break up the lovefest down there...except I don’t. I’m hungry and you annoy me. Poison Cobweb!! [from the top of her web she spews poison down on the trapped Digimon. They cry out in pain, then after a few grisly shudders they both revert to their Rookie forms, the silk automatically tightening to keep them snared.]

Gayle: Poxmon! Your whole shtick is poison, right! DO SOMETHING!

Poxmon: Yes. Of course. [she tenses, then rushes toward the trapped Digimon, her claws blackening.] Rot Claw!! [she takes a swipe and destroys the trap, and Maumon and Chrysamon sprawl on the pavement next to each other, down for the count. She turns and frees the panicking Mark, then glares up at Dokugumon and flattens her ears, tail lashing.]

Poxmon: Come down and fight on my level, coward!

Dokugumon: You insolent whelp! Why waste that effort on a little Rookie I can beat from up here? Poison Thread!!

Gayle: Digi-Modify! Speed activate!

[Poxmon dodges a few fired bursts of webbing, then glares up at Dokugumon again]

Poxmon: This your last warning, Dokugumon!

Dokugumon: Or what? Aren’t you at least going to Digivolve for me like your freak friends? All this talk of fighting on even footing and you won’t even put in the effort for me? What a shame. You don’t even look tasty. You look like you rotted while you were still alive.

Poxmon: I don’t need to Digivolve to defeat you!

Gayle: [looking at her Digivice hesitantly] L-lo siento, mi amiga…

Poppy: Gayle! The fuck is the hold up? Digivolve her already! Poxmon’s the only one who can still fight and that thing’s a Champion!!

Gayle: She...she asked me not to, but...there’s no choice now. [she hesitates another moment as Poxmon dodges another Poison Thread, then hits the button, squeezing her eyes shut. The Digivice begins vibrating and pulsing as Poxmon freezes at attention, a ball of green light swallowing her as her Digital Hazard pulses once, weakly]

 

**DIGIVOLUTION_**

 

Poxmon Digivolve to...SMOGMON!!

Dokugumon: Oh, hm. Guess you can Digivolve after all. Freaks of a feather…

Smogmon: Shut up and come fight me.

Dokugumon: I’d really rather not. Poson Cobweb!!

[Smogmon leaps out of the way on her gangly limbs, then tilts her head and lets out an unhinged cackle before it cuts off in a wheezing cough for a moment. Dokugumon visibly flinches a little at the sound.]

Poppy: What the hell…?!

Gayle: [quietly] This is why she asked me not to trigger her Digivolution unless absolutely necessary.

Smogmon: You want to do this the hard way, huh? I’ll indulge you! FUMIGATE!! [she takes a deep rasping breath, then blasts toxic gases out of the vents of her gas mask. The gas begins to eat through the entire web as it rises into the air, and Smogmon looks up and wags her tail eagerly as Dokugumon starts to panic.]

Dokugumon: Nonononononono...not like this, not like this! [the silk under her gives way, and she screams and flails her legs as she falls down directly toward Smogmon]

Smogmon: Yesssss...Burning Slash!! [she intercepts the falling spider by jumping up and raking glowing green claws across her abdomen. Dokugumon slams into the concrete with glowing green gashes in her body, shuddering as her body begins to flicker and take on a faint green glow all over. Smogmon turns back to saunter to her prey’s side, tilting her head with another wheezy laugh.]

Smogmon: Oh, I warned you that you wouldn’t like it if you didn’t come down on your own!

Mark: [from his position kneeling at Maumon and Chrysamon’s side] Smogmon! Please! Just end the fight! You’ve already beaten her!

Smogmon: Aw, but where’s the fun in that. Dokugumon would’ve drawn it out...I’m just repaying the favor.

Gayle: [tearfully] Smogmon! I know you! You’re better than this! Stop it now!

[Smogmon visibly hesitates in her victorious pacing, turning and fixing Gayle in the blank stare of her mask lenses for a moment. Then she turns to face Dokugumon again, her claws lighting up.]

Smogmon: Well, that was fun. Burning Slash. [she turns and slashes Dokugumon once more, but now without any conviction. The screams of the agonized spider are immediately cut off as she fragments into data. Smogmon proceeds to load the entirety of Dokugumon’s data, lowering her head a little.]

Smogmon: [sounding distinctly unhappy, like a child put in time out] Happy now, Gayle? [she walks over so she’s mere inches away from Gayle’s face, maintaining eye-to-lens contact. Poppy screams and runs away toward Mark and the other Digimon.]

Gayle: J-just rest now, amiga. You were, uh, s-strong in that fight. [she hesitantly reaches up and cups Smogmon’s cheek in her hand. Smogmon leans into it with a wheezy sigh before reverting to Poxmon in a burst of green light. Poxmon slumps against Gayle’s leg, ears immediately drooping.]

Poppy: [quietly, scooping Chrysamon up and cradling her against her chest protectively] G-Gayle...you need to find a way to control your Digimon. That thing’s dangerous.

Poxmon: [so quietly only Gayle can hear, her usually monotone voice trembling a little] I know.


	16. Bump in the Night

[Thursday afternoon. After defeating Dokugumon, the Tamers realized that they could link their Digvices together, unlocking a phone function to maintain contact. That done, they decided to call it a day and return to their respective homes. Poppy enters her house with Chrysamon curled over her shoulders, a little nervous.]

Poppy: Mom? I’m home!

Ms. Jones: [walking out of the kitchen] Poppy!! [she runs over and pulls Poppy into a crushing hug, knocking the air out of her. Chrysamon lets out a squeak of alarm, which startles Ms. Jones into letting go.]

Poppy: M-mom...I’m fine! 

Ms. Jones: Don’t you EVER scare me like that again! I was worried sick, young lady! You could have been burned again, or shot, or worse-

Chrysamon: I-I’d never let that happen to her, ma’am! I swear on my honor!

Ms. Jones: [staring at Chrysamon in mild alarm for a moment] R-right, I keep forgetting you adopted a talking bug monster…[puts a hand to her head and sighs] I’m going to go sit down.

Poppy: I’m sorry, Mom. I’m not doing all this stuff on purpose to scare you…

Ms. Jones: [sitting down on the couch] Well, you’re scaring me anyway!

Poppy: But somebody has to stop attacking Digimon. And why not someone with a Digimon partner fighting at her side?

Ms. Jones: Poppy, I still don’t like this. Any of this.

Poppy: Okay, but...what if I told you that I have friends now? Two of ‘em, with Digimon partners of their own?

Ms. Jones: ...Like the friend whose house you were staying at last night?

Poppy: Yes! He and this other girl both have Digimon and we can all fight as a team now! I think you might’ve heard about one of them on the news...Gayle Santoro?

Ms. Jones: [paling] The girl who got kidnapped by an active shooter?

Poppy: Bingo. Except, the shooter wasn’t human. He was a Digimon, and Gayle and her partner took him the hell out! He’s not gonna bother anyone ever again!

Ms. Jones: ...It was a Digimon?

Poppy: That’s why she said she had amnesia, see? She couldn’t risk the media finding out about Digimon!

Ms. Jones: But why not let the authorities deal with the Digimon? You’re all just kids!

Poppy: Mom, we’ve been over this. People would freak the actual fuck out. You remember how you reacted when you first found out Chrysamon was alive?

Ms. Jones: …

Poppy: Now imagine if she was a giant, say, talking spider that spat poison everywhere. It would be pandemonium! [throws hands in the air for added effect, making Chrysamon yelp and cling on]

Ms. Jones: ...Oh, Poppy. You...you sound so grown-up…[wipes a tear from her eye] I don’t think I’ll ever like the idea of you getting involved with all this Digimon business...but I don’t think I could stop you. [she stands back up and gives her daughter a warm hug, Poppy returning it with a smile]

Poppy: I won’t take any stupid risks, Mom. I promise.

Ms. Jones: [nodding in acknowledgement] Now...I still have to properly welcome you home! I’m making pasta for dinner. Pull up a seat! [glancing at Chrysamon] I’ll make an extra serving for your little friend, too.

Chrysamon: Th-thank you, ma’am! [bows her head, eliciting a bit of a laugh from Ms. Jones]

Ms. Jones: Polite one, isn’t she?

Poppy: [grinning] Yeah, Chrysamon’s the best friend a girl could ask for!

Chrysamon: [antennae curling] Oh, stop, you’re going to make me blush!

[Poppy and Ms. Jones laugh before Ms. Jones goes back to making pasta sauce and Poppy gets to work setting the table. They have dinner with warm chatter, then Poppy starts getting ready for bed.]

Chrysamon: [sitting on the bed] Your mother is so nice, Poppy! Ooh, I wish Digimon matters didn’t scare her so much, she doesn’t deserve that!

Poppy: Eh, it’s just a mom thing. She’ll get used to me being a Digimon Tamer soon enough.

Chrysamon: I dunno...she sounded pretty scared earlier…

Poppy: [throwing on her pajamas] You worry too much, Chrysamon. You heard her. Even if she’s not the biggest fan of this stuff, she won’t stop me. Besides, she said all that before she decided that she likes you.

Chrysamon: ...I hope you’re right about her calming down about all this. I’d hate to stress such a kind person out.

Poppy: It’s because of stuff like this that Mom likes you. [laughs and walks over to give Chrysamon a little pat on the head. Chrysamon’s antennae curl at the touch. Then she goes down the hall to the bathroom to brush her teeth.]

Chrysamon: [glancing around at the familiar horde of stuffed animals on Poppy’s bed] Mmm...maybe I’ll s-sleep easier in a familiar bed…

[at that moment, the lights flicker and then black out. Chrysamon lets out a little scream and jumps before accidentally falling off the edge of the bed]

Poppy: [muffled, down the hall] CHRYSAMON? Ya good in there? It’s just a blackout!

Chrysamon: [hyperventilating a little] R-right...y-yeah. Just a blackout...I’M FINE!

[Poppy grunts from the bathroom, then goes back to brushing her teeth, using her Digivice screen as a light]

Chrysamon: [looks around the dark room as her eyes adjust, antennae twitching nervously as she rises onto her back legs] H-hello? Is anybody th-there? I f-feel something-

[she’s cut off by a malicious laugh, and the sound of the door down the hall locking. It sounds oddly like Ms. Jones…]

Chrysamon: P-Poppy?

Ms. Jones?: [laughing cruelly] I’m afraid she’s having problems with the bathroom lock at the moment, little one.

Chrysamon: M-Ms. Jones? You d-don’t sound well… [she backs herself against the far wall of the bedroom, wide-eyed, as Ms. Jones’ silhouette enters the doorframe.]

Ms. Jones?: I think you’ll find I’ve never been better...but sadly for the moment I need to lie down…

[Without further warning, Ms. Jones collapses in a dead faint in the doorway, causing Chrysamon to scream in horror at what emerged from her ragdoll body. Cut to the bathroom, where Poppy is pounding on the door that was locked supernaturally from the outside. Her Digivice vibrates and she opens the Digiradar, looking at in in alarm.]

Poppy: Ah, shit...not a Digimon in my frickin’ house! It’s a...Bakemon, Virus-type, Ghost Digimon, Champion level...with Ghost Chop and Poison Breath attacks...Shiiiiit, I need to get to Chrysamon! [she punches the bathroom door, and only manages to accomplish injuring her hand with much whispered swearing under her breath.]

Bakemon: Let’s see how well you fare without your Tamer, insect! Ghost Chop!! [he rushes forward and swings his rag-covered arms at her, but she barely manages to dodge with some terrified screams.]

Chrysamon: POPPY! H-HELP!!

Bakemon: She can’t help you now! Poison Gas!! [he expels poison smoke from his mouth, and Chrysamon collapses in a coughing heap on the carpet for a moment, leaving her vulnerable to another Ghost Chop. She slams into the wall for a moment, then her form flickers briefly before she struggle back up.]

Chrysamon: [gritting her teeth] I’m not...letting you...hurt Poppy! SILK SHOT!! [she catches the overconfident Bakemon off guard and snares him in her threads before tossing her head and throwing him against the wall. She then pounces on top of him before he can regain his bearings and uses her Gnaw to bite down very hard on his arm. He yelps in pain and uses Ghost Chop to fling her away, into the opposite wall. She slides down motionless to the floor, her form flickering again as pixels fragment off.]

Bakemon: [floating up to her, glare malevolent] We’re done playing now. If you surrender quietly and give me your data, I leave the pathetic human alone. If you insist on struggling...well…

Chrysamon: [tears in her eyes, form flickering violently] IiiiI’m nN-n-nOt givinG UuUp...SssSilk Sh-shoT!! [she manages to snare Bakemon again, but collapses as one of her feet clips through the floor briefly. He shakes off the silk threads and growls]

Bakemon: Fine. You get to watch your stupid Tamer die before I finish you off. I gave you the chance to come quietly...Poison Breath!! [the gas sweeps through the room, and Chrysamon curls into an unmoving, fragmenting pile on the floor with some hacking coughs and distressed sobs. Bakemon floats to the bathroom and reaches through the door, pulling Poppy out like the door doesn’t exist.]

Poppy: LET ME FUCKING GO! [she kicks and screams, white-knuckling her Digivice, but Bakemon only chuckles darkly and pays her struggles no mind. He drags her to her bedroom, past the unsconscious Ms. Jones, and makes sure the severely weakened Chrysamon can see what’s about to happen clearly.]

Bakemon: Any last words, human?

Poppy: [struggling to breathe a little and dropping her Digivice as Bakemon tightens his hold on her neck] Fuck. You.

Chrysamon: [sobbing] PppP-popPyyy… [she struggles to stand up, but her feet keep losing their solidness just long enough for her to faceplant again. She stares up in horror with tears streaming down her face as Bakemon begins choking Poppy, with Poppy fruitlessly trying to pry his ghostly grasp off of her neck.]

Chrysamon: NnnNo...NO!! POPPY!! [she pulls her form together, letting out a scream of rage as Poppy’s Digivice begins to vibrate violently on the floor, pink light surrounding Chrysamon.]

 

**DIGIVOLUTION_**

 

Chrysamon Digivolve to...PAPILLOMON!!

[the ball of light bursts, and immediately Papillomon rushes Bakemon]

Papillomon: BUTTERPUNCH!! [she unleashes the barrage of punches on Bakemon, and with a cry of pain he drops Poppy. Poppy clutches gently at her neck and wheezes, eyes huge as she watches the unfolding battle]

Bakemon: So it’s true. You freaks can Digivolve at will.

Papillomon: Yes. And now you’re going DOWN. ButterPunch!! [she attacks again, causing Bakemon to crash to the floor, groaning. Papillomon doesn’t have mercy to spare tonight.]

Papillomon: Flying Kick!! [she flies up, then divebombs Bakemon’s prone form with a leg outstretched. With a final ghostly wai and a loud crack, Bakemon fragments into data. Papillomon lands and stands tall and glares into the gloom, tail lashing as she loads the data.]

Poppy: [finally finding her voice] P-Papillomon? Are you okay…?

[Papillomon immediately ditches the menacing posture and rushes over to Poppy, pulling her into a crushing four armed hug, letting out a distressed sob. Poppy wheezes, giggles a little, and returns the hug.]

Poppy: I-it’s okay now, Papillomon. I’ll be okay...Sh, sh…

Papillomon: [sniffle] I’m just glad you’re okay…

Poppy: That...was really impressive, little bug. I was really worried that you were gonna be a goner…

Papillomon: I could never give up while you were in danger, Poppy! I can’t just leave you in danger!

Poppy: [wiping away a relieved tear] You really ARE the best friend I could ever ask for. 

[Papillomon gives Poppy a butterfly kiss and a fond smile before she reverts to Chrysamon in a flash of pink light. Poppy scoops her into her arms and hugs her tightly to her chest, giving her a little kiss on the forehead.]

Poppy: [whisper] I...honestly don’t think I can sleep anymore…

Chrysamon: [whispering back with a tiny wink] I’ll chase the ghosts away for you!

[at that moment, the lights flicker back on and Ms. Jones groans and sits up, rubbing her head]

Ms. Jones: Ughhh...what happened…?

Poppy: [quickly] Oh, uh... whew, you’re okay! You had me worried for a second, you blacked out for a moment there! [she stands up and walks over to help her mother up, Chrysamon moving to her favorite position across her shoulders.] Let’s get you to bed so you can rest. I think you might need to sleep more, Mom! [nervous laugh]

Ms. Jones: You...might have a point. I was too worried to sleep well last night…

Chrysamon: No need to worry anymore! I’ll protect the house for you...you just rest up!

Ms. Jones: You really are sweet, Chrysamon. Thank you.

Chrysamon: [antennae curling, averting her gaze] I-it’s nothing, ma’am. Just doing my job!


	17. Double Toil and Trouble

[Friday afternoon. Mark’s parents are out of the house again, and he reclines on the couch with Maumon curled in his lap, in a three-way call on his Digivice.]

Mark: What do you mean you can’t patrol today? I thought we agreed you were on the next one today with Gayle?

Poppy: [yawning] Dude. I didn’t sleep last night. A frickin’ Digimon possessed my mom and shit. Gimme a break!

Mark: Okay, okay, sorry. I didn’t know you got attacked by a Digimon!

Poppy: Nasty fucker. Some Champion ghost named Bakemon. At least Chrysamon took him out.

Mark: So it’s just me and Gayle in downtown today, then?

Poppy: Yup. [another yawn] I’m gonna go take a nap now, if you don’t mind.

Gayle: Hope you feel better soon, Poppy!

[click from Poppy hanging up]

Gayle: So...should Poxmon and I start heading downtown now? Meet you guys there?

Mark: [sigh] Yeah. I’ll start heading over. See you there. [he clicks the button to hang up, then lets his arm flop over the side on the couch while leaning back.]

Maumon: Something the matter there, Mark?

Mark: Poppy and Chrysamon aren’t coming for today’s patrol.

Maumon: [face falling a little] ...Huh.

Mark: [raising an eyebrow] I thought their company brought you intense displeasure.

Maumon: Oh, don’t get me wrong. Poppy needs to stuff it the vast majority of the time. However…

Mark: However…?

Maumon: [sighs and averts his eyes] I guess Chrysamon isn’t that bad. 

Mark: Ohoho! Turning over a new leaf there, Your Highness?

Maumon: [ears flattening] She’s proven that she’s a better guard than I previously thought, okay? Showed her true colors or whatever. About fucking time, honestly! [he jumps off Mark’s lap and begins running to the front door to end the conversation, bell collar jangling the entire way.]

Mark: [erupting into laughter] Ohhh noooo, the Prince has a soft side! Whatever will we do?!

Maumon: Stuff it!!

 

[a couple of bus rides and some walking later, Mark spots Gayle up ahead with Poxmon, and they wave to each other.]

Gayle: Buenas tardes, Mark! Everything all right at home for you?

Mark: [shrug] My parents are still absent enough that they suspect nothing. You?

Gayle: [smile falling] Aaah. Mamá kind of freaked out when she got home. I’m, uh...technically grounded, but...both Mamá and Miguel are out working right now. [nervous giggle]

Poxmon: I feel that the fate of two worlds matters more than a trivial grounding, anyway. 

Mark: Well...at least you can still make it?

Gayle: [sigh] Sí.

Mark: Is Poxmon...y’know...good to fight today?

Poxmon: [a little too quickly] Assuming that Maumon can manage to keep himself out of trouble today, I won’t be forced to Digivolve and we should be golden.

Maumon: [flattening his ears and lashing his tail] Hey, are you trying to pin your freakout yesterday on me?! I’m not the one who went off the deep end!

Poxmon: [flattening her own ears] Silence, Your Highness. I was only forced to Digivolve because your hastiness left me as the sole able-bodied fighter remaining!

Gayle: Guys! Please stop fighting! It was just...unfortunate, all right? We’ll all do better today, sí?

Poxmon: [sigh] Sí.

Mark: [raising an eyebrow] You been teaching Poxmon Spanish? I’ve heard her say Spanish stuff a few times now…

Gayle: [sheepish smile] She’s been imitating bits and pieces that she hears from me. She’s really really smart!

Poxmon: [tilting her head] When in the human world, do as the humans do.

Maumon: [disgruntled huff] So, where are we looking today?

Gayle: Maybe we can look by the theatre here? Worst case scenario, maybe we can catch a show together if we don’t turn up anything about the Key…

Mark: Huh, never took you for a theatre kid!

Gayle: [tucking some hair behind her ear] I like a good show now and then...but my family can’t really afford to see shows much. Do you think maybe…?

Mark: Of course! My parents won’t care...they’ll probably be happy about me being “cultured” more than anything, honestly.

Maumon: Great, everyone gets along. Let’s goooo! [he lashes his tail, then turns and begins bounding down the sidewalk.]

Poxmon: [wryly] Follow the ringing bell, friends.

 

[some time passes uneventfully, with Maumon bounding ahead impatiently and the others following behind, keeping their eyes peeled for anything unusual that the impatient Prince may have missed. Eventually, however, Maumon completely freezes in place, ears sticking straight up and fur bristling]

Mark: Maumon, wha-

Maumon: [hissing] Quiet! I sense something!

Poxmon: [suddenly also tensing up and bristling] Digimon.

[as if on cue, Gayle and Mark’s Digivices begin to vibrate, and they pull up their Digiradars]

Mark: Witchmon, Data-type, Demon Man Digimon, Champion level. Attacks are Baluluna Gale and Aquary Pressure...whatever that means.

Gayle: ...Where is Witchmon? I don’t see anything!

???: Seeing is believing, eh? You won’t believe THIS! BALULUNA GALE!! [a magical wind tears down the street, knocking Mark and Gayle backwards and sending Maumon flying. Poxmon manages to grip the ground tightly with her claws, but the wind still rips through her fur painfully. After a moment it’s over and everyone races to regain their bearings.]

Poxmon: Show yourself, coward!

???: Where’s the fun in that, hm? Baluluna Gale!! [once again the wind kicks up, sending Poxmon skidding back now. The Tamers just stay down, not bothering to get up.]

Maumon: EVAPORATE!! [he transforms into a small fog cloud, assuming that the wind will blow through him...but his body is just blown far down the street, and the instant he re-materializes near the corner he begins screaming.]

Mark: [watching in horror, hand reaching for his partner] MAUMON!

???: [cackling] This will be so easy! I don’t understand why all those other Digimon failed this assignment, pff!

[out of nothingness, a witch in a red dress and hat riding on a broom becomes visible, laughing into the back of her massive clawed hand.]

Witchmon: Guess that proves that the Witchelny way is better, hm? Once I’m done here I can go take care of that loser Wizardmon…

Poxmon: If you like Witchelny so much better, why don’t you just go back?

Mark: [tuning Witchmon out] Maumon! You have to get up, buddy!

Maumon: [struggling to his paws and narrowing his eyes as Mark’s Digivice begins vibrating, surrounding him in blue light] Done and done.

 

**DIGIVOLUTION_**

 

Maumon Digivolve to...VAPORMON!!

Vapormon: [emerging from the burst of light] Hey, bitch! Pick on someone your own level!

Witchmon: Hm...you do Digivolve. How fascinating...not. Aquary Pressure!! [she lifts her hand and runes appear in her palm. From the circle of runes shoots a stream of water at extremely high pressure. Vapormon barely Vaporizes himself in time...and the signpost directly behind him is cut clean through. The sign topples as Witchmon ceases her attack.]

Vapormon: [after raking a burning steam paw through Witchmon’s body, making her scream, he rematerializes behind her, tail lashing] Is that all you got, Bitchmon?

Witchmon: [angry screech] MY NAME IS WITCHMON!

Vapormon: Yadda, yadda, close enough. Let’s hurry this shit up. DELUGE!! [she blasts high pressure water at her…]

Witchmon: Aquary Pressure!! [she fires back, and her blast cuts through his and knocks him back with a pained yowl.]

Poxmon: ROT CLAW!! [she had snuck up behind Witchmon while she was distracted by Vapormon, so her diseased claws land square on Witchmon’s back. She springs away as soon as her attack is done to put some distance between her and the angered witch.]

Mark: Digi-Modify! Power Activate!

Vapormon: [he shudders as the power courses through him, and then he fixes the ailing Witchmon in a burning gaze] DELUGE!!

[Witchmon lets out a horrible wail as the Deluge hits her head on while she’s also struggling with the decay from Rot Claw. With a final pitiful whimper she falls off her broom and fragments into data midair. Poxmon and Vapormon stand tall, breathing heavily as they load the data.]

Gayle: Buen hecho, amiga! Whew, that was getting a bit close…

Poxmon: All in a day’s work. [there’s a bit of poorly masked pride in her voice.]

Mark: [getting up and running forward, he runs forward and throws his arms around Vapormon’s neck in a hug] YOU DID IT, BUDDY!

Vapormon: [flicking an ear] Did you really doubt me, Mark?

Mark: [scratching his giant cat under the chin] Well, I was a little scared for a moment.

Vapormon: [he tries to resist it, but ends up melting into a purring mess.] H-have some faith. Dumb human. [he ends up reverting to Maumon a moment later, curled sheepishly in Mark’s arms.]

Gayle: [rocking on her heels] So, Mark...you wanna see what shows are in the theatre now? We’re near there anyway, and I think we’ve earned it…

Mark: Sure! [he pauses momentarily, then smiles apologetically at the Digimon] Is it okay if you guys stay outside? I don’t think Digimon are allowed in the theatre, heh.

Poxmon: [before Maumon can open his mouth] Certainly, Mark. Secrecy is our priority if we can help it.

Maumon: ...Hmph.

Mark: See you guys in front of the theatre in a few hours! We’ll treat you to something special after the show, promise!

Maumon: Yeah, yeah, whatever. Go enjoy the show.

[the Tamers walk off, and the Digimon slink into an empty alley near the theatre, in tense silence.]

Poxmon: ...You’re actually thinking sometimes in battle, but you really need to do away with your hasty nature. Had it not been for Mark powering you up and me sneaking up on Witchmon, she may have very well loaded you.

Maumon: Hey, you’re making it sound like Mark doesn’t matter!

Poxmon: [tilting her head] Hm? Care to elaborate?

Maumon: [suddenly getting flustered] Well, y’know...it’s only logical, right? Stick with what makes us stronger and all that jazz…

Poxmon: [soft chuckle] I never thought I’d see the day where you admitted to needing and even wanting teammates fighting at your side! Bravo!

Maumon: [blushing a bit, flattening his ears] D-don’t go thinking I’m getting all mushy on you, Poxmon: I’m still a motherfuckin’ Prince!

Poxmon: Evidently a Prince with very coarse language. 

???: A Prince, eh?

[a man in a black suit emerges from a shadow, and with no warning rushes forward with a pair of forceps and grabs some hair from Maimon’s bushy tail. He quickly pulls the forceps back and tears out a bluish white clump before turning and sprinting, shoving the clump in a vial and corking it as he goes.]

Maumon: [yowling] OW! What the FUCK was that?! [he curls his tail around in front of his forepaws and stares at the ruffled fur mournfully]

Poxmon: [grimly, tai lowering] Whoever that was heard us talking and took some of your fur. I doubt anything good of this can come.

Maumon: So what do you suggest we do about it?!

Poxmon: [dejectedly] Nothing can be done about it now. We must now remain on high alert for the inevitable consequences when they arrive.

Maumon: UGH! How NOT helpful!

Poxmon: ...I also believe we shouldn’t worry our Tamers about this until we know more of the situation. It won’t do to panic them when they can’t do anything about this.

Maumon: [groaning] FANTASTIC.

  
  


[about an hour later, Hendricks walks into the computer lab, which has undergone very heavy overhauls in the past several days. Crossway sits in front of one of the dozens of computers, empty coffee cups piled around him as he trembles horribly from caffeine overload.]

Crossway: Oh, Hendricks, sir! Did you get the sample from the Dragon?

Hendricks: [holding up the vial full of Maumon’s fur] An adequate amount, I should think. You’ve been making headway on the remainder of the code, correct?

Crossway: Yup! With this final ingredient, I should be able to bring this brew to a boil, heh.

Hendricks. Good. Do remember that we must accelerate the operation with all of these Digital Monsters bio-emerging.

Crossway: Well, with all of the updates to the facility here, I should be able to create our weapon most efficiently now…

Hendricks. [monotone] Excellent. Get to it, Crossway. We’re counting on you and your team. This phase of the operation is entirely in your hands.

Crossway: Between the residual data signatures I’ve gotten from Designation: Firestormmon in my scans of the network and the fresh fur from Designation: Maumon that you’ve collected for me, I should be able to cobble the beast together in no time...with one caveat, hm.

Hendricks: [stiffening] Caveat?

Crossway: [already running the fur through a data reader] Yes, unfortunately. I cannot create a fully developed monster from the limited data we’ve been able to scrap together. We’ll have to accelerate its evolution somehow once the construction of its body is complete.

Hendricks: [gritting his teeth] Blast. Crossway, just...just focus on assembling the monster. I’ll work to think up a solution to the evolution problem.

Crossway: [sipping another coffee before beginning to type furiously] On it, sir.

Hendricks: [the door closing behind him as he leaves the computer lab] See that you are.

 


	18. The Sun Rises

[The Digital World. The sky is very dark, and many Digimon are circling the base of a mountain where several different sectors of terrain meet: Codex Mountain. Digimon also pour down the mountain slopes; Codex Mountain is currently caught in yet another battle, with the palace forces and any Digimon they can possibly recruit fighting off the Dark Army. A pair of Coredramon, Blue and Green, swoop into one of the entrances to the Crypts, carrying a flickering and fading Monodramon between them.]

Blue: Child of the Crypts, hear our plea!

Green: [tearing up] Please! You can’t let our friend die!!

[a faint, troubled voice calls from within a tunnel faintly illuminated by golden DigiCode etched in the walls.] 

Cygnemon: Come in, come in!! [she walks around a corner, her claws clasped in front of her.]

Blue: Oh, did we interrupt…?

Cygnemon: N-no, not at all. Healing this poor soul is more important. [she takes a deep breath, spreading her arms to the sides. Her Holy Ring glows faintly.]

[Blue and Green both set Monodramon down, taking respectful steps back and bowing their heads in gratitude for what was about to happen.]

Cygnemon: Morning Sun!! [golden light fills the Crypt and bathes everyone present. Immediately Monodramon begins perking back up, his body stabilizing as the summoned sunlight healed him.]

Monodramon: Thank….thank you, Child of the Crypts.

Cygnemon: [finishing her “attack,” she relaxes her arms and frowns a little] Honestly, please just call me Cygnemon. I’m not here for glory...I’m just here to help, love.

Monodramon: [nodding] Th-thank you, Cygnemon. Thank you so much. I thought I was a goner!

Cygnemon: [smiling now] Glad to be of service. Now… [she turns to the twin Coredramon, looking very happy] I believe you two have absolutely proven yourselves worthy to bathe in the Light of Digivolution, hm? If you would follow me briefly…

[Cygnemon walks the two very excited Coredramon down a winding tunnel lit solely by pulsing DigiCode until they reach a brightly illuminated cavern. The source of the light is a giant red triangular crystal in the center, ringed by three black triangles on the ground around it forming a Zero Unit. The Coredramon twins reverently step inside, looking awestruck.]

Cygnemon: [waiting till both Coredramon are inside and facing each other  in the cavern, nervously waiting for some kind of spark.] O Codex, these noble Coredramon have proven themselves worthy of your Light. Grace them with the Shining Digivolution!! [she cries out this last sentence as she throws her arms over her head, and immediately the Zero Unit in the center of the cavern glows with blinding light, bathing the Coredramon in it. The twins cry out in unison, their bodies shifting and changing in the brilliant glow.]

Coredramon Matrix Digivolve to...GROUNDRAMON!!

Coredramon Matrix Digivolve to...WINGDRAMON!!

[the glow fades, and Cygnemon lowers her arms and smiles brightly as Groundramon and Wingdramon take in each other’s new forms.]

Cygnemon: [warmly] Congratulations! This will surely turn the tide of the battle!

[the twins bow respectfully to her, then carefully move past her to go get Monodramon and return to the raging battle. She watches them with clasped claws, only allowing herself to frown and sigh once they’re long gone.

Cygnemon: Oh...I certainly hope their Digivolutions change the tide…

[Cygnemon walks deeper into the chamber and kneels before the Zero Unit, clasping her claws and shutting her eyes.]

Cygnemon: O Codex...is there nothing more I can do? I have not the power to heal everyone fighting and dying for the mountain’s sake in this war, and the losses only grow worse...Can I not help further? Can I not be graced with more healing potential? [tears well in her closed eyes, and she clasps her claws more tightly.] I wish merely to help protect you from forces that may wish to abuse you, O Codex.

[she falls silent for a moment, gasping softly as she hears the Codex whispering to her in timeless voices of old.]

Cygnemon: ...There truly is nothing more I can do here? Absolutely nothing to be done to save more Digimon? [her breath hitches, and she struggles to retain what composure she has left, awaiting more whispers.]

[her eyes fly wide open as visions of the rifts between the worlds flash before her eyes.]

Cygnemon: I...am to follow the Prince and his court to the other world?? [she falls silent for another moment, her answer being whispered to her.] B-but...am I not needed here to protect the Crypts from those who seek to abuse them? To abuse you? [once again images flash before her eyes; visions of the Tamers’ battles, visions of a glowing Digital Hazard and sirens wailing, visions of raging fires engulfing everything in their path without restraint. Cygnemon begins shaking, sobs escaping her.] How am I to avert these visions of destruction? I’m not a Digimon who fights!

[her sobs echo for a moment, and then she bows her head and shivers as the Codex whispers to her anew.]

Cygnemon: I just need...to trust. T-trust and find a pure heart on the other side, and your Light will follow me? [she stares at the Zero Unit intensely, her beak chattering a bit from nerves. After a moment she relaxes a little, affirmation being whispered to her.]

Cygnemon: So I must...Fret not for the loss of my Sight, and fret not for the vacation of the Crypts, for as long as I find a pure heart and trust in our bond, the Shining Digivolution will grace me and everyone else on the quest for the Key?

[another silence, and then she nods and stands up, brushing away her tears.]

Cygnemon: I’ll do my best to aid in saving the worlds, you’ll see! [she pauses thoughtfully, gazing into the glowing red matrix of the Zero Unit again.] Though, getting to one of the rifts safely is going to be a challenge…

  
  


Saturday. A high school senior is walking home from the store with a backpack full of groceries, bopping her head to some loud rock music in her earbuds, fingers moving in the air along an air guitar as she “plays” along to the song. She seems to not be paying attention as she seems to not notice a bright flash in the air at the end of the street in front of her, nor the feathery shape falling out of it. She is taken by surprise as what seems to be a mutated purple baby bird runs towards her.]

???: What the sweet hell-?

Cygnemon: Oh, hello, citizen! I am...foreign, to this world! Do you know of anyone around with a pure heart?

???: Err...Kid, I’m pretty sure the FurCon is in the next city over. And you’re probably way too young to be hanging around those fursuit creeps anyway. Get out while you still can. (she tries to step around the supposed child in a bird fursuit, but shudders as the bird grabs her hand and tugs it.]

Cygnemon: Sorry to trouble you, love, but I’m afraid that I don’t know the lay of the land in the slightest! May I trouble you to guide me? Ooh, it looks so very interesting here!

???: Uh...mind telling me who the fuck you are? Let’s go from there, Tweety.

Cygnemon: [lightly smacking her forehead] Oh, dearie me, where are my manners?! My name is Cygnemon! I am pleased to make your acquaintance, uh…

???: Audrey. Call me Audrey.

Cygnemon: [offering a clawed hand to shake with a bright smile] Pleased to make your acquaintance, Audrey!

Audrey: [giving a limp fish handshake and sighing] Charmed.

[there’s a long awkward pause where Audrey squints at Cygnemon and Cygnemon bounces excitedly on her heels.]

Audrey: ...You get in a fight, Cygnemon? You look a little jacked up there, actually.

Cygnemon: [smile suddenly faltering] O-oh, that. My apologies, I got so caught up in the scenery that I-

[there’s another flash, and then a grinning creature made of rocks falls down from the rift, landing on his feet and laughing.]

???: Oh, my General is gonna be so pleased when I tell ‘im I loaded yer data, toots!

Cygnemon: [trailing off] ...that I forgot a Gotsumon was chasing me.

Audrey: [raising her voice] YOU’D THINK THAT MIGHT’VE BEEN THE FIRST THING YOU’D MENTION!!

Cygnemon: R-run!! [she flaps her wings and takes to the air, shooting past Audrey and outpacing her.]

Audrey: Hey, dipshit! Wait for me!! [she glances behind her and panics as she notices the Gotsumon drawing closer, his manic grin never leaving.]

Gotsumon: Hey, Child of the Crypts! I heard that ya hate violence, yeah? What if I got all violent up on this ugly creature, eh?

Cygnemon: [stopping in her tracks and hovering] What? No, d-don’t!

Gotsumon: [laughing] Rock Fist!! [he lunches forward, launching a rock out of his fist at Audrey, making her scream and fall over.]

Audrey: MOTHERFUCKER!! OW!

Cygnemon: STOP IT! Don’t drag an innocent being into this fight! CACAPHONY!! [she begins screaming at the top of her lungs, a horrific, discordant noise that makes Gotsumon wince and Audrey slam her hands over her ears. Cygnemon lands and stops screaming, immediately comboing into her next attack.]

Cygnemon: DOWNY SHOT!! [she fires sharpened quills from her arms that bounce rather harmlessly off of Gotsumon’s rock body, but the surprise of the combo still sends him reeling back a bit. Cygnemon looks good and angry now.]

Gotsumon: [growling] Oh, that was a mistake, toots. ROCK FIST!! [he rushes forward and slams a rock directly into Cygnemon’s head, sending her sprawling on the cement. Audrey struggles to her feet, looking somewhat horrified by the unfolding and escalating violence.]

Audrey: Hey, uh, can’t we settle this shit civilly or something? Take it to court if you gotta? Monster court?

Gotsumon: Stay outta this, ugly! This is between me and the birdie!

Audrey: OY. Nobody calls me ugly, motherfucker! Rock Fist, meet ROCKSTAR BOOT!! [Audrey takes a running start and slams the heel of her boot into Gotsumon’s head, making him stagger to the side while groaning.]

Audrey: TAKE THAT, ASSHOLE! [glancing over at Cygnemon, who is struggling to regain her bearings and stand up] Yo, kid! You good?!

Cygnemon: Nnnn….urgh, momentarily...sidetrack him a little longer, if you’d please!

Audrey: [raising an eyebrow] ...Aight, if you say so.

Gotsumon: ROCK FIST!! [he charges Audrey, seeing red, but she just barely manages to spring out of the way before letting out a lot of whispered swear words under her breath in a long string.]

Audrey: ‘Kay, you wanna go, motherfucker? ROCKSTAR BOOT!! [she goes to kick Gotsumon in the head again, but he grabs her leg and swings her over his head and slams her into the pavement on his opposite side with a loud crack. Audrey lets out a strangled whimper with barely any air left in her lungs after the blow.]

Cygnemon: AUDREY! NO! [she stands tall now, eyes narrowing.] DOWNY SHOT!! [she launches more quills at Gotsumon to distract him, then jumps up and flies to Audrey’s side, gently clasping one of her hands between her claws, humming a little]

Audrey: [another agonized whimper, seeing Cygnemon in double vision]

Cygnemon: MORNING SUN!! [the sunlight intensifies over the battlefield, and Cygnemon holds Audrey’s hand as Audrey’s breathing begins to even, and her sobs die in her throat as the healing light eases her pain. Cygnemon herself is looking a little healthier as the sunlight fades.]

Gotsumon: Ugh, nice trick there, toots. Draw this out, why don’t ya.

Cygnemon: [drawing herself up to her full height, staring Gotsumon down] If you want to harm Audrey, you must go through me first.

Audrey: [struggling to her feet, still holding Cygnemon’s claws] D-ditto.

Cygnemon: [looking horrified] Audrey! You mustn’t! You’re hurt!

Audrey: So’re you, kid. I think we’re in this shit together now.

[they stare deeply into each others’ eyes for a moment before a ball of golden light condenses between them. Audrey reaches for it with her free hand as the light fades to reveal a Cygnemon-shaped Digivice with a pale yellow screen and a golden heart on the center button. Audrey stares at it in awe.]

Cygnemon: [eyes widening, whispering under her breath] Find someone pure of heart and the Shining Digivolution will be with you…

Audrey: [blinking] What was that?

Cygnemon: [blinking away relieved tears] N-nothing, love. Shall we end this together?

Audrey: [cracking her knuckles] Gladly. [she then looks at her Digivice while Gotsumon is still in shock, and finds the Digi-Modify screen, scrolling through the options.]

Audrey: Digi-Modify! Power activate!

Cygnemon: [she narrows her eyes, staring Gotsumon down.] I tried to give you mercy, love, but you insisted on fighting...Farewell, you wayward ‘mon. DOWNY SHOT!! [she fires off her modified quills, and now they pierce the rocks making up Gotsumon’s body, making him scream in pain before finally fragmenting into data. Cygnemon hesitates for a moment, then loads his data into her body and swallows hard.]

Audrey: H-holy shit. We actually beat that thing. High five me. [she offers Cygnemon a raised hand, and after a moment of confusion Cygnemon awkwardly returns the high five...very lightly.]

Cygnemon: ...Like that?

Audrey: ...Eh, we’ll work on it. [she stares at the Digivice again, the idle screen currently displaying a very happy and excited face as Cygnemon’s mood.] So...guess we’re a team or something now, huh? That looked like some magical destiny bullshit there.

Cygnemon: [giddy giggle] Hah, s-something like that!

Audrey: So, uh...got anywhere to stay? Guessing not, since you’re apparently not from around here.

Cygnemon: I’m from another world, parallel to your own!

Audrey: ...Riiiiiiight. Sure. Anyway...guess I can let you hole up in my garage for now. Dad never really cleans in there...even since the band broke up, it’s kinda my turf. It’s not too dusty...I think.

Cygnemon: You had a band? Do tell!

[They begin walking down the sidewalk together, Cygnemon holding Audrey’s hand as Audrey leads the way, clipping her Digivice to her belt.]

Audrey: Well, we called ourselves the Screamin’ Deemins, and...


	19. Things Change, Part 1

[Monday morning. The school district has decided to close the schools for at least another three days in light of rampant destruction in other parts of the city from unknown causes. This leaves Poppy sprawled on her bed, staring at the ceiling.]

Poppy: Y’know...it feels weird to be out of school for so long in the middle of the year. 

Chrysamon: I imagine it’s not helped by the fact that the abrupt break is due to danger from rogue Digimon?

Poppy: [dry, bitter laugh] Yeah, I’d enjoy this vacation so much more if it wasn’t because innocent people are regularly being put at risk by Digimon attacks.

Chrysamon: Hopefully, once we find the Key no more innocent people will be in danger…

Poppy: Yeah.

[there’s a knock on Poppy’s bedroom door.]

Poppy: Come in…

Ms. Jones: [opening the door] Breakfast is ready, kids. I made waffles!

Poppy: Thanks, Mom. We’ll be out in a sec.

[Ms. Jones nods and heads back to the kitchen, and Poppy sighs, sitting up as Chrysamon drapes herself over her shoulders]

Chrysamon: Things will change soon, I’m sure of it…

Poppy: I hope so. [she rubs her eyes for a moment before heading to the kitchen. She grabs a heaping plate of waffles and sits across from her mother, with Chrysamon crawling onto the table next to her plate.]

Ms. Jones: So, any plans for today? Preferrably not fighting dangerous monsters?

Poppy: [wry smile] Unfortunately, dangerous monsters are always on the table for a day’s plans. They’ve been, like, non-stop lately.

Chrysamon: I’ll keep her safe, ma’am. I promise.

Ms. Jones: [smiling fondly at the caterpillar] Thank you, Chrysamon. I’m just glad that Poppy has someone looking out for her.

Poppy: Me too. And not just anyone! The cutest caterpillar in the world!

Chrysamon: [antennae curling and face flushing] Oh, s-stop it! You f-flatter me, Poppy!

Poppy: Ain’t flattery if it’s the truth, little bug! [she rubs Chrysamon’s head with her hand, laughing]

Ms. Jones: Take good care of her, Chrysamon. I’m gonna go to work.

[Ms. Jones packs up her purse and leaves while Poppy and Chrysamon finish off their breakfast. When they’re almost done, Poppy’s Digivice begins to vibrate with an incoming call.]

Poppy: [hitting the button to pick up and lifting the Digivice to her ear] Nyello?

Mark: You feeling better after your days off? Gayle’s been...inconvenienced, so you pretty much have to come with me on today’s patrol. We’re checking around the museum today.

Poppy: Sure. What do you mean, “inconvenienced?”

Mark: Uh...her mom found out.

Poppy: [eyes widening] Oh. Isn’t her mom, like, really protective?

Mark: And therein lies her problem. Unfortunately that’s pretty out of our control so we just gotta plow ahead with our search, yeah?

Poppy: Yeah, yeah. We meeting at the corner outside of the museum?

Mark: Yeah. Maumon and I will meet you there. [there’s a click as he hangs up, and Poppy quickly does the same and clips her Digivice to her skirt.]

Poppy: We’re going to a museum today, Chrysamon!

[Chrysamon crawls up Poppy’s arm and drapes herself over her shoulders.]

Chrysamon: I’ve heard that those are pretty interesting.

Poppy: Sadly, I don’t think I can bring you inside...but that doesn’t really matter, since we’ll be patrolling around the museum and not going inside it. [she rubs Chrysamon’s head apologetically]

Chrysamon: O-oh...oh well… [she miserably fails to hide her slight disappointment at that.]

Poppy: ...Maybe someday we’ll go see the museum together, Chrysamon. Maybe someday.

 

[Mark and Maumon are waiting for them at the corner as expected, with Maumon lashing his tail impatiently]

Maumon: Finally! Man, for a supposed athlete, you’re SLOW! [glares at Poppy]

Poppy: You know what? I’m not gonna listen to you anymore. File all complaints through Chrysamon, you stupid cat!

Chrysamon: [looking panicky] Wh-what? I…

Maumon: [glancing at Chrysamon’s distressed face and then turning his head with a disdainful tail flick] Urgh, too much effort to waste on your slow ass.

Mark: ANYWAY! I think we’re gonna go in, like, a counterclockwise circle around the block and once we get back here we’ll go from there…

Poppy: [pointedly ignoring Maumon’s commentary] Sounds good to me. Lead the way.

 

[they walk around the block in relative silence, in a mix between a dedicated search and several members of the party giving each other the cold shoulder. However, as they approach the museum again after turning up no results…]

Maumon: [ears standing up] Oh shit.

[Chrysamon’s antennae then shoot bolt upright and a look of absolute horror overtakes her face]

Mark: Maumon, what’s wrong?!

Maumon: ...The museum is under attack from a rogue Digimon. I can hear the screams. Listen!!

[Both Tamers humor him and fall deathly silent for a moment. They listen very intently and their eyes widen as they hear a faint boom followed by screaming of innocent people. Poppy immediately takes off sprinting, and Maumon joins her run, canning the snarky comments for now.]

Mark: Oh...oh no. [he begins running after the others, lagging behind as he’s not terribly in-shape.]

[When the Tamers and Digimon arrive on the street of the museum, they are greeted with a horrific sight. Much of the area has been set on fire, with people scrambling to get away in every direction. Worse is the sight of people pinned under rubble, some of which aren’t moving anymore. In the middle of the carnage is a gigantic blue dinosaur with tattered purple wings and a metallic head and arm. It roars in fury as its chest hatch opens up and it fires missiles into a nearby building, bringing it crumbling down. The Tamers freeze up in horror, eyes huge.]

Poppy: Are they...did they just…?

Mark: [biting down in his lip, hard, to contain a scream] I...think they just did…

Poppy: [horrified] They’re dying!

Mark: [finally picks up his vibrating Digivice to read the Digiradar] M-MetalGreymon, Virus-type, Cyborg Digimon...U-Ultimate level...

Chrysamon: [hopping off Poppy’s shoulders, swallowing her terror] Th-that’s why we have to bring it down. To stop any more p-people from dying!

[both Tamers swallow bile and lift their Digivices into the air as they vibrate and their idle screens become starry-eyed. Pink and blue light swallow Chrysamon and Maumon.]

 

**DIGIVOLUTION_**

 

Chrysamon Digivolve to...PAPILLOMON!!

Maumon Digivolve to...VAPORMON!!

[the balls of light burst apart, and the Champion Digimon immediately leap into action]

Vapormon: DELUGE!!

Papillomon: BUTTERPUNCH!!

[both attacks connect at full force, but MetalGreymon doesn’t seem to feel them at all. Papillomon’s eyes widen in horror]

MetalGreymon: [laughing darkly] Is that all you’ve got? Pathetic. Giga Blaster!! [his chest opens up, and the missiles fly out. One missile hits each Champion and sends them flying explosively. Vapormon skids across what’s left of the road and Papillomon slams into the side of a remaining building and falls down toward the ground.]

Mark: [tears welling in his eyes] VAPORMON! Hang in there buddy…! [he fiddles desperately with his Digivice for a moment]

Mark: Digi-Modify! Speed activate!

Vapormon: [he struggles to his feet, then moves to dodge an oncoming Flame of Fury from MetalGreymon’s robotic arm. While on the move he Vaporizes himself and rushes MetalGreymon, running back and forth through him to inflict as many bad steam burns as possible. MetalGreymon cries out and swats ineffectively at the steam cloud.]

Poppy: [screaming] PAPILLOMON! GET UP!

[a shaky red fist appears from behind a pile of rubble and grabs onto the top, with three other fists following it and pulling a groaning Papillomon up out of the debris]

Poppy: [sobbing in relief] H-hang in there, little bug...hang in there… [she messes with her Digivice]

Poppy: Digi-Modify! Stamina activate!

Papillomon: [she immediately pulls herself to her feet, then begins flying at the distracted MetalGreymon, raising her fists for a pummeling] ButterPunch!! [she unleashes another ineffectual barrage of punches on his metal face till he turns and violently swats her out of the sky like an annoying fly. She leaves a bit of a crater in the concrete where she hits, and her body begins flickering with an agonized groan.]

Vapormon: [re-solidifying behind MetalGreymon, he turns toward the sound of breaking concrete, face horrified] Papillomon?

MetalGreymon: Begone, pests. Flame of Fury! [he swipes his metallic arm through the air, unleashing a wave of fire towards Papillomon. Vapormon, however, still riding his Speed boost, sprints forward and body blocks Papillomon with a pained yowl, collapsing in front of her with his body flickering.]

Mark: [horrified] NO!!

Papillomon: [tearing up from both pain and distress] V-Vapormon! [she reaches weakly for him before MetalGreymon kicks him aside. Vapormon’s body erupts into pixels before about half of them re-condense into a violently flickering Maumon.]

Mark: [rushing to Maumon’s side, sobbing] MAUMON!! NO!!

Poppy: M-Mark, don’t-!

MetalGreymon: [laughing coldly, turning to face the Tamers] Giga Blaster.

[The missiles fly straight toward the building next to them, and the explosion sends rubble cascading down towards all three of them. Papillomon lets out a blood curdling scream, not seeing Poppy tackling Mark and Maumon out of the way of a deadly piece of rubble at the last second]

MetalGreymon: [turning to look maliciously at Papillomon] Ready for the grand finale, insect?

[Papillomon watches helplessly as MetalGreymon stomps his way over to the newest pile of rubble, laughing darkly and lifting his robotic arm]

Papillomon: I’m s-so s-sorry everyone...I wasn’t s-strong enough to p-p-protect you…! [tears run down her face as her body flickers violently. She’s just barely keeping herself together enough to remain a Champion. She looks almost ready to give up until she sees a feeble Torrent Shot come from a gap in the rubble, aimed at MetalGreymon.]

Papillomon: M-Maumon...he’s...they’re a-alive…[she blinks away some tears with wide eyes, trembling with emotion]

Papillomon: I c-can’t give up on them! Not yet! Even if I’m n-not strong enough to f-fight him…

[As Papillomon steels her resolve, a Zero Unit appears on her forehead, a red triangle surrounded by three black ones. At the same time, the Digivice in her unconscious Tamer’s hand begins to vibrate very violently, the idle screen’s eyes turning into Zero Units before the screen reads…]

 

**MATRIX DIGIVOLUTION_**

 

[Pink light envelops Papillomon’s battered body as she rises into the air]

Papillomon: Papillomon Matrix Digivolve to…

[her body grows and elongates, becoming distinctly more humanoid as her wings grow much larger and stronger. As the light fades a Zero Unit temporarily flashes and shines on her chest to complete her transformation. A final blinding flash and the light fades, revealing her as…]

???: MARIPOSAMON!!

  
  


[Several blocks away, Sra. Santoro is being shoved into an alleyway by her panicking daughter. She had decided to bring her daughter on a day of errands with her to keep in her sight at all times and away from the monster she’d brought home, but…] 

Sra. Santoro: MIJA! What is the meaning of this?

Gayle: Lo siento, Mamá, pero necesita quedarse aqui. [she leans out of the alley, staring at the flames licking the sky in the distance. She looks back at her mother and her eyes are huge]

Sra. Santoro: Dime qué está pasando, mija. Ahora. [she crosses her arms, scowling]

Gayle: [biting her lip] Mamá, you know how I told you that Poxmon and I were fighting monsters…?

Sra. Santoro: And I told you to stop that nonsense! You’re not fighting any monsters! NUNCA!

Gayle: [suddenly yelling in desperation] ¡Necesito pelear o la gente morirá! ¡Mira! [she points at the flames rising into the sky a few blocks away] ¡Y escucha! [she falls silent for a moment, glaring at her mother, as sirens blare around them] La gente necesita mi ayuda.

[there’s a tense silence for several moments before Gayle screams Poxmon’s name at the top of her lungs, then crosses her arms]

Sra. Santoro: ...No puedo detenerte, ¿verdad?

Gayle: [nodding] Verdad. Lo siento, Mamá. I love you.

Sra. Santoro: [turning away so her daughter won’t see her cry] Ten cuidado, mija. Ten cuidado.

[Gayle gives her mother a peck on the cheek, then turns and begins running down the street. A few minutes later, Poxmon silently joins her as they run toward the inferno.]


	20. Things Change, Part 2

[Gayle and Poxmon arrive at the edge of the catastrophe zone, only to see a human-sized butterfly staring down MetalGreymon with fury in her eyes]

Gayle: Dios mio, is that…

Poxmon: [quietly] It is. She Digivolved to Ultimate.

Mariposamon: LEAVE MY FRIENDS ALONE! GALE WINGS!! [she beats her wings rapidly, and a violent wind tears down the street towards MetalGreymon. He actually staggers from the force of the wind before digging his metal claws into the road to try and ground himself.]

MetalGreymon: [snarling] Not even a Digivolution can save you now, bug! Flame of Fury!!

Mariposamon: Butterfly Dance!! [she begins moving unnaturally fast, confusing MetalGreymon with her rapid movements as she darts around him, delivering rapid punches with all four of her fists to every soft part of his body she can reach. He swats ineffectually at her, unable to hit her.]

Gayle: Woah...she’s amazing… [pulls out her vibrating Digivice] Mariposamon, Data-type, Fairy Digimon, Ultimate level. Her attacks are Gale Wings, Butterfly Dance, and…

Mariposamon: [as if on cue] Butterfly Sting!! [she darts up by MetalGreymon’s eye and stabs it with her nose. Gayle averts her eyes as MetalGreymon roars in agony.]

Poxmon: [softly] Gayle...you got me under control last time, right?

Gayle: ...R-right.

Poxmon: I need to Digivolve in order to end this fight as quickly as possible. Will you...stay with me? To keep me under control?

Gayle: [swallowing hard at the vulnerability in Poxmon’s voice] I… [she swallows again, then steels herself] Yes. I’ll ride with you, amiga. I’ll ride with you anywhere.

[Poxmon nods, and Gayle’s Digivice vibrates as green light envelops her and her Digital Hazard weakly pulses once.]

 

**DIGIVOLUTION_**

 

Poxmon Digivolve to...SMOGMON!!

[Smogmon stands tall, wheezing eerily as Gayle jumps on her back, straddling her partner like a horse.]

Gayle: Ch-CHARGE!!

[Smogmon charges into battle, beginning to laugh like a maniac as Gayle rides her like a war horse, determination filling her eyes]

Smogmon: BURNING SLASH!! [her claws glow acid green as she sinks her claws into MetalGreymon’s back and then begins digging with her front claws like a dog digs in dirt.]

Gaylemon: [flinging her arms around Smogmon’s neck] E-easy...don’t l-lose it…

Mariposamon: Butterfly Dance!! [she rushes around MetalGreymon again, while the cyborg is roaring in agony from the irradiated mess that is now his back. MetalGreymon’s form begins to flicker and he collapses on the ground, a pained growl escaping him.]

MetalGreymon: More...are coming...it’s no use to resist…

Smogmon: [jumping down to the ground after Gayle gently steered her to] You’re not really in a position to threaten us, mm? In fact, I think you’re about to…

Mariposamon: BUTTERFLY STING!! [she swoops down and stabs into MetalGreymon’s exposed stomach with her nose, making him cry out before he fragments into data. Mariposamon and Smogmon both stand tall and load his data. Then Mariposamon flies off toward the rubble pile with Gayle steering Smogmon after her.]

Mariposamon: Poppy! Maumon! Mark! Are you…?

Mark: [muffled by rubble] We’re alive, but we’re stuck in here, and Poppy got knocked unconscious!

Mariposamon: [swallowing] I’m gonna get you out of there, okay? [she wraps her arms around a large piece of rubble and beats her wings furiously, lifting it off of the pile. She drops it and looks at Smogmon] Help me!

Smogmon: [humming noncommittally till Gayle reaches up and yanks her head to turn her to face Mariposamon] Mmm, fine. [she trots up to the rubble pile and starts kicking debris away, grumbling to herself]

[Mariposamon wraps her arms around a final pieces of rubble and lifts it away to reveal Mark sitting in the rubble with Maumon cradled in his arms, both staring at Mariposamon in awe.]

Mark: S-so that’s why Poppy’s Digivice was freaking out…[he looks very dirty but not badly hurt]

[Maumon, who is still flickering slightly, stares at Mariposamon with wide, awe-struck eyes.]

Maumon: ...Ultim-mate…

[Mariposamon, however, fails to notice him for the moment and is diving into the hole with them, desperately pulling Poppy into her arms and cradling her to her chest. Tears well in her eyes.]

Mariposamon: P-Poppy! Speak to me!

Poppy: [groaning a little as her eyes crack open; she has a goose-egg on her head and a black eye.] H-hey, little b-bug…

[Mariposamon hugs Poppy tightly and starts sobbing in relief, with Poppy shakily reaching up and brushing a tear from the butterfly’s cheek]

Poppy: D-don’t cry...we won, I think…

Mariposamon: [choked up] I thought I lost you! All of you!!

Maumon: [quietly] No...b-because you saved us. [he smiles a little as Mariposamon locks eyes with him, shocked] ...Thank you, Mariposamon.

[Mariposamon smiles with tears in her eyes, laying Poppy down on the ground gently before she reverts to Chrysamon in a burst of pink light. Chrysamon’s eyes roll back in her head and she slumps down at Poppy’s side with an exhausted groan.]

Maumon: Chrysamon! [he looks genuinely worried]

Poppy: I think...I think she’s fine. J-just needs to rest after Digivolving to Ultimate!

Gayle: Mark! Can you walk?

Mark: [struggling to his feet, still holding Maumon] Y-yeah, I think.

Gayle: Poppy, can you hang on to me? Climb onto Smogmon’s back-

Smogmon: I’m not a taxi service!

Gayle: -Climb. Onto. Smogmon’s. Back. I’ll get you and Chrysamon home.

Smogmon: Hmph.

[Smogmon reluctantly stand still as Gayle hauls Poppy onto her back, Chrysamon unconscious on her shoulders after Poppy moved her there. Poppy wraps her arms around Gayle, and Gayle wraps her arms around Smogmon’s neck.]

Gayle: Smogmon, take Poppy home!

Smogmon: Yeah, whatever. [she begins galloping down the street, leaving Mark and Maumon in the dust.]

Mark: ...Guess we’re walking home, buddy.

Maumon: [staring at Smogmon and her passengers till they turn a corner out of sight] Okay.

Mark: ...Shaken up from the fight, or…?

Maumon: [too quickly] YES.

Mark: ...Or do you have a c-crush? [nervous laughter of a man trying to distract himself]

Maumon: [flattening his ears, looking more like his cranky normal self] N-NO! I do NOT have a human crush! The fuck is that?!

Mark: ‘Kay, buddy, I know you’re playing dumb with me now...you know what that word means.

Maumon: Never heard it before in my life now shut up thank you! 

Mark: Fine, fine, I’ll drop it...let’s go home and rest now, okay? You did great today, bud.

Maumon: [grumbling] Sure.

 

[Audrey approaches the scene of the carnage a while later, looking at her companion uncertainly]

Audrey: And you’re SURE you wanna go into this shitstorm?

Cygnemon: The fighting is over, and now people need our help, Audrey! [she runs toward an injured person trapped under some rubble who is barely moving, and lifts her arms towards the sky] MORNING SUN!!

[intense sunlight bathes the ruined street, and injured people begin pulling themselves to their feet, looking incredulous. In that instant Audrey grabs Cygnemon in her arms and begins running]

Cygnemon: Wha-?

Audrey: You’ve healed all the hurt people, now we gotta go before someone sees you! There’s not exactly anything like you on Earth, you’d freak people out!

Cygnemon: [looking saddened] Well...that’s...rather unfortunate…

Audrey: You still helped out a ton of people back there. You’re doing good, kid.

[Cygnemon smiles a little, looking fondly up at her Tamer as Audrey carries her off]

  
  


[Hendricks walks into the lab, where Crossway has passed out on top of his keyboard. Hendricks kicks his shin under the desk to wake the scientist up. He jolts awake, knocking at least five empty coffee cups off of the mountain on his desk.]

Crossway: Wha-! I’m up! I’m up!

Hendricks: Progress report, NOW.

Crossway: O-oh...heh...the Weapon is progressing splendidly, sir. Shall I show you the beast? Its bio-emergence is proceeding smoothly. It’s no easy feat to convert raw data straight into a bio-emerged Digital Monster, you know!

Hendricks: Cut the crap and show me the Weapon already. I don’t have all day, you know. We have determined that a human handler is the best way to accelerate development of the Weapon, and also to keep it in our control. We are screening for candidates as we speak...it seems that Digital Monsters respond more strongly to younger humans, which lines up with our surveillance data of the “Digimon Tamers.” [he does air quotes to emphasize his disdain].

Crossway: So...you’re recruiting some kind of kid?

Hendricks: Yes...and we may be settling on our final candidate soon. She appears very promising, just from her file. It also shouldn’t be too difficult to convince her to join the operation, given her circumstances…[he pulls up a file on a device he pulls from his pocket and hands it to Crossway, who gives it a quick read before handing it back[

Crossway: Hm. Not bad. I could think of worse handlers for the Weapon. Now to show you MY progress! [he hits a brightly colored key on his keyboard, which causes a door at the other end of the lab to open. It reveals an incubator tube filled with dark orange fluid. Suspended in the fluid, connected to various vital monitors by cables, is a half-formed creature. It looks vaguely canine and is partly covered in pale yellow fur. The other parts of its body are exposed, glowing orange wireframe, raw data that has not yet resolved itself into flesh. The creature is completely still, aside from the occasional twitch of one of its paws. On its brow is a hot pink flame symbol.]

Crossway: Behold the Weapon of Operation: Firewall. Designation: Inumon.

Hendricks: [crossing his arms, looking over the Weapon appraisingly] Not a bad start, Crossway.

[The Weapon twitches one of its paws as Hendricks speaks, its one fully formed eye twitching under closed eyelids for a moment before it goes motionless again]

Crossway: I think it’s a beautiful little monster, no?

Hendricks: Indeed. This will be a suitable Dragon once its evolution is complete, I think. Carry on, Crossway. I won’t delay your progress any further. [he turns and walks out of the lab, leaving Crossway returning to typing furiously on his keyboard, compiling and rendering more of the Weapon’s code.]


End file.
